As per standard procedure, the guys were separated into different interview rooms at the detachment. The detachment personnel would normally be able to handle this kind of routine procedure, but even the desk staff (except for the dispatcher) were taking part in the census-taking.

Andy and Mac searched the house further. They found notes taken that day, but nothing from before, which was suspicious as it was obvious the surveillance had been going on for maybe 48 hours. They also found some rigs (needles) hidden under some bedding that probably didn't belong to the previous owners. After reporting this in, they moved on to assisting the census-takers. The news team joined them, taping the goings-on

After Kelsey arrived at the detachment, Lee and Clarke worked as a team, questioning one and then the other.

Mohawk-boy didn't say anything, not even his name. Apparently, the lack of rights didn't seem to bother him, that he was letting on. He answered in negative monosyllables.

As Kelsey observed though the mirror and on the monitor, Clarke and Lee questioned the other. The other started talking almost right away. It was almost like he was relieved.

"I'm Josh Talbot." He was 19 years old, a high-schooler from the suburb Burnaby (to the east where the nukes hit to take out the refineries and petroleum storage tank farms) who lost his parents in the nuclear attack 4 years earlier. "Mom and Dad... I was downtown for the day..." After being left behind in the confused evacuation of the city, he'd drifted around the Downtown core and the West End (the high-density neighborhood sandwiched between the business district and Stanley Park).

He lived with the people who'd taken up residence in several underground shopping malls and the Skytrain tunnels connecting them under the downtown core. "They call themselves "Undergrounders". I think most of them were probably homeless before the war."

Lee explained that the city's homeless population (like street people anywhere) had a high incidence of drug and alcohol addiction, in addition to mental illness (aka "dual-diagnosis").

"They took good care of me." Then this guy came through about a year, year and a half, ago, he was like... He said his name was "Cyrus". Which sounded cool. He said his family had taken over the park, Stanley Park. The people were building a home that no one could take away."

"Some people left with him, and I was tired of living like a freakin' mole, eh? So I went too."

"Most of the time it's cool. Hunting and fishing. Hanging out. Sometimes we trade some of the weed we grow with the Undergrounders."

"But we always do what Cyrus wants. Sometimes, like with those guys... he made us do stuff." He looked severely disturbed and even ashamed.

They left him there alone and took a quick break to let him think things over. They met Kelsey in the corridor outside to talk. There were many, many unanswered questions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:06, Mon 02 June 2008.

Clarke looked at the other two women.  "I'm used to questioning enemy combatants.  They may have crimes the committed that they are ashamed of.  This kid's body language certainly makes it look like he was there when the convoy people were tortured to death, and it weighs on him.  I think he wants that weight off his soul.

"Make sure to ask him about the stuff we found.. and when it is time for the reports to be picked up again.. or delivered.. "

Clarke nodded.  "Good idea.  I think we should give him a chance to confess first.  Couch it as we can see there is something that is hurting him, and it would hurt less if he tells us.  Once the floodgates open, I doubt they will stop.

Lee was positive on the results and the information they were receiving.

"Oh, I think the floodgates are open all right. Let's make sure the information keeps coming and direct him a little. Anything in particular we want to ask, let's make sure that gets done. If we let him ramble he may skip over something we want, get side-tracked."

"Like Kelsey said, let's start with what they're doing there, how the information was transmitted or is to be transmitted."

"We'll need to double-check what he gives us, if he can. So, what do we want to ask him?"

"My thought was to start with questioning about the atrocity in the park, since that seems to be what he referred to when he mentioned 'things', then redirect to now, what he was doing, how the information was passed, when the next pick-up would occur.  We want to get the couriers if we can.  But you are the expert, so I will defer to your judgement."

"I think I covered it.. oh, and what they intend to find out.. "

Taras remebered well a conversation that took place a few years back with Igor Zheveliuk. It was back in Odessa, Igor returned home from Bosnia as a member of the 240 detached special battalion, a unit formed by 550 servicemen and tasked with providing convoy escorts, promoting ceasefires and patrolling the AOR. Also establishment of demilitarized zone in the Jepa region, evacuation of 5000 people during Serbian attack, restoration of networks, tram-traffic, and providing the security in the airport. Igor was victim of a landmine. He recognised the threat promptly the PMR-2A was a local version of the russian POMZ family. The viciousness of this type of warfare in the Balkans was well known and it took his leg too. He saw the fishing line across the trees. Too obvious but he couldn't help the tripwire fixation . While trying to severe the line a nearby antipersonnel mine changed his life forever.

Now Taras tried to avoid this complex with the stickmen . The next step should be to continue the census as an integral part, almost corner stone, of the I.R.O.N. program and start ASAP. the recce of downtown as an strategic approach to isolate the "battlefield" called Stanley Park as if a hammer/anvil operation were to take place.

But well before that the HQ in Vancouver Island should be contacted and reported of the current situation and findings, request formal approval for the intel unit as a Joint Task force CF/RCMP and, exploiting the recent successes, make a request for more hardware. In this case he was thinking about a radar. None of them could be found in working condition in the area as the nuclear inducted pulse fried their mechanisms. Instead he thought about recovering one from his own former employer. The size of the soviet units deployed in the North of the province precluded the use of tactical aereal cover in the form of ZSU-23 "Shilka", SA-6 "Gainful", SA-8 "Gecko" or SA-13 "Gopher". Initial use of this materiel would be all time, all weather, stand off aerial and maritime control of the Burrard Inlet. Basically to detect and track any traffic that could be a menace for the law abiding established communities.

The challenge of obtaining such technology was no small feat to accomplish. Demanding, time and effort consuming, Taras realized that the UBC needed to be in possession of of enough leverage to succeed. He will propose the idea of round up a number of veteran militias and send them to the Island as recruits for the CF, they will be conducting basic training and after this they will continue their training as transmission/comms specialists and form part of the Joint Task force. They would be employed and deployed using the newly arrived equipment. In this manner the CF would be able to get its numbers increased, the UBC would be able to get the human resources needed trained and operative: A win-win situation.

After this proposal Taras will contact Bulat. The ukrainian was well aware that the lack of manpower prevented a strict control over the area. The North side of the bridge was paramount. A surveillance system was necessary. A 24 hrs operation could be sustainable with a 2 to 3 man team supported by trip flares and a seismic sensor, for instance.

Another priority was to complete the recce of the North Shore and finding suitable vessels to be returned to operational status. Dominance of the waters was mandatory in the complex Geography of the Lower Mainland and the current fleet was not adequate for the next challenges in terms of load capability and overall performance.

The situation with the two arrested kids was interesting but he decided not to intervene too much. Whatever the information obtained it would be needed to be double checked in any case.

Clarke entered the room with a clipboard and sat across from Josh Talbot.  "OK, Mr. Talbot.. mind if I call you Josh?  It sounds like things have been pretty rough for you the last few years, loosing your folks and all.  I'm guessing it's been rough just to stay alive.  I can understand if some of what you did to survive wasn't always... pleasant.

I'm a mom myself.  I know with my kids, sometimes it helps if they can get things off their chest.  I know that look, I've seen it a thousand times with my own two.  Something is bugging you, something you feel really bad about.  I understand if you aren't ready to talk about it yet, though.  Let's start with what you've been doing the last couple of days.

It looks like you had been in the house at least two days, but we didn't find any notes that old.  What were you trying to find out by watching?  What were you looking for?  Who was picking the notes up, and when?  We can start with that, and work on some other information as we go along.  Clarke sat back in her chair and smiled warmly at the young man, trying to look more like a concerned parent than a cop or military officer.

Josh sipped from a coffee mug filled with water, then ran his fingers through his hair.

"Well, ah okay. The ambush of the convoy. Last year."

"We keep sentries watching West Georgia St. on the West End (city) side, in the Tea House, 'cause Pacific St. is blocked off. We can put more kind of in a line watching for people on foot coming in from the West End, if we think something's going down. People in the downtown tell us, friends in the Undergrounders."

Clarke and Lee knew that while anyone could simply walk from the West End into the Park, West Georgia and Pacific were the only two vehicle entrances to the park, aside from the Lion's Gate Bridge. West Georgia continued on as the 3-lane Causeway through the heavily-wooded heart of the park,

"We have another bunch of guards at the Lookout by the bridge. There's an old restaurant and gift shop there."

"Most of the rest of the people in the Park live in either the Tea House restaurant or in and around the old Zoo and the Aquarium. There's about 80 people, about 60 adults and 20 kids. Most of the adults can and will fight, some harder than others."

"At any rate, the sentries guarding West Georgia saw these people coming and flashed a warning signal to the rest of us. We got into position along the Causeway."

"A little ways into the park after all the turn-offs, it's all one big ambush zone. There are spider holes dug along either side, tunnels and paths to move from place to place, trees rigged to fall to block the road or take out, you know, vehicles, punji stakes, pits with spikes, bunkers with stockpiles of firebombs and pipe-bombs, slingshots to throw them, caltrop thingies to take out tires, tripwires, everything you can think of. Everyone had crossbows, bows, knives, axes, even some swords."

"We let the convoy get good and into the park on the Causeway, then Cyrus signaled us to let them have it when one of the bikes in front hit the piano wire, took the rider's head clean off. Dropped trees in front and behind to stop them, blew up the outriders; anyone trying to get into the woods to fight us fell into the pits, hit the stakes, got shot with crossbows, whatever. Some of 'em tried falling back to the trucks and some guys actually used lines to swing down from the trees and on top of them."

"They surrendered. Most weren't even dead, they were just cut up or had arrows in 'em."

He looked a little sick remembering what came next. After a bit of a break to help him calm down, he continued.

"We I can give you a list of names, but I really don't want to go into a lot of detail after. I guess I can testify if you want me to. I only know their first names or their "street" names, though."

After he wrote down the names of everyone that he remembered that was involved, they segued into what happened a couple days ago.

"I guess someone seen you come in, the wake on the water. The moonlight. I think they might just have heard something, maybe gone to take a leak."

"They woke the people in the park, runners went out. When we seen you were going towards the bridge down on the seawalk, Cyrus already set up this little "welcome" for anyone coming that way. A dozen guys involved. They used torches, stayed in the woods out of sight. Distracted anyone into looking one way, they hit them with firebombs from behind."

This was basically what happened. Although at the time it seemed like 30 or more attackers, indeed a dozen could have pulled it off. If they were practiced and had a plan.

"When the guys on the raft fired off some grenades, I guess one came down and killed someone. A kid. People were really mad."

"We saw where you went that night, back to the Marina here. We also seen other boats coming and going yesterday."

"So Cyrus says there will be blood. Soon as it's dry we're going to take out the Marina. We're supposed to keep watch and figure out where you're coming from, because the Marina obviously isn't your base, it's just where the boats are."

"We came here yesterday and started to take notes. After dark, Sebastian, the other guy I was with, rode his bike and delivered them to the Park. Takes about an hour. No code or nothin'. Same deal tonight."

Josh paused, adding something he just remembered.

"Oh yeah, before we captured the trucks, we used alcohol for the firebombs. Traded with the Downtowners for it, with the weed we grow. Those trucks... they're tankers. I think they came from the airport. One's got gasoline in it. Cyrus says the other was full of jet fuel. We got some other stuff as well, mostly food and such."

He looked drained, glanced guiltily at the video camera. The observers (Lee, Clarke and Champlain) could tell he was telling the truth.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:02, Fri 20 June 2008.

Clarke caught the guilty look at the camera.  It's a lot to deal with, isn't it?  You feel loyal to your friends.  Not all of them are bad.  They saved your life, gave you a home.  But this Cyrus fellow is a very bad man.  She paused for a moment.  But you'll find you're more at peace with yourself, having gotten that weight off.  It must have been horrible, what was done to those people.  I'll be back in just a moment.  I need to talk to my friends.

She stepped out to the others.  "OK, we need to get the logistics intel on their set-up to Taras so he can start putting together tactical planning.  We need to put eyes on the entry and exit points he mentioned.  When Sebastian doesn't clock in as planned, someone may come looking for him.  She glanced back at Josh.  We need to keep an eye on that kid.  Maybe a suicide detail.  He's really been through Hell."

Andy continued to work with the census takers and chatted with them to find out more about the local set up and the work the University had done to keep everyone alive without sinking into barbarism.

*Kelsey had absorbed it all, eyes tearing a bit now and then, wiping her nose, blowing it, during the interrogation, glad she didn't have to keep her composure with the boy in there*

"I know I am no expert, but maybe he should be let off for informing on everyone?  Uh... another thought too.. maybe a police blocade would make more sense than an assault?"

*Ok, so the 12 year Army vet is kinda soft...*

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #13):

Clarke gripped Kelsey's shoulder for a moment.  "We've got some pretty good tactical information from him, we just need to find a way to verify it.  That part is our job."  She looked at Josh.  "What happens to him... that's up to the magistrate.  Any deals or breaks are out of our hands.  That might suck, but it's how things work.  I'm sure they will listen to our suggestions."

Taras was sharing thoughts with Belanger about the RCMP part in the new intelligence unit. Since the military personnel arrived at the UBC were few and the possibility to obtain further reinforcements uncertain it was mandatory to exploit the manpower of the Law Enforcement presence. A dedicated officer will be selected to be the liaison with the North Shore Police. He or she will serve as a Third Section leader (North Shore) and spokesperson for UBC and will report directly to Clarke as a Commander of the Joint Task Force in Intelligence matters. Belanger will obtain regular information about the new unit progress through regular meetings with Clarke as a CF, the Council and himself as RCMP head in the provice.

It was then when the news about the prisoners came.

Taras made a suggestion to Belanger.

There is a further possibility...We can make the kid continue to work with us...The punk is too dangerous and uncooperative to be left on the loose. But we can work with the other fellow. We can offer a good deal for him. First we will scare him a bit. Yes, he did some bad things and may have to pay for that. We'll show him around all the goodies that we have, like machine guns, the "tank" and all the military stuff and tell him that the fall of the stickmen is inminent. But we need his help to speed this up and also reduce his sentence. All we have to do is provide him with a "mailbox" where he can drop information. In this manner we can communicate. We tell him what we want. We get answers. We'll provide him some stuff too like cigarettes or other items that he can pretend was looted somewhere. If the kid decides to not cooprate we can always use the punk against him. If Cyrus were to be released from jail, his days will be numbered for sure...

Most of the facts presented were in need of checking, of course, but it will be interesting to have a mole. Now the UBC had a golden oportunity to exploit real HUMINT. A comprehensible approach to the young fellow was necessary. Not too soft and not too hard. Imperative in any case was the ability to show a way forward and a future away from crime and bad company.

I have to admit that, if the information provided is good, the situation in Stanley Park is not that bad and we can act in a nice and swiftly manner to gain advantage and prevail. My plan will include a softening of their strength first wile attacking their observation post, taking prisoners and a negotiating exit for the rest. But we shall see...

In reply to Andrew Montgomery McRae (msg #12):

The volunteers were a friendly lot. On a break (sandwiches and cold clean water from a house... say, why did the city have a running water anyways? he thought) Andy and Mac sat and chatted with a few of the young women and men. Like all academics, they took their time getting to the point.

"I guess "barbarism" is a relative term. It's not like people are cooked in big iron pots and eaten!"

"Sure, there are some places that are unsafe, and of course if there is no phone you can't call 911 and all that, but it's not like you walk down any street and automatically get robbed or worse.

The girl speaking was Ellen Chau, who had formerly been a UBC student and before that an immigrant from Hong Kong, sent here in 1997 (along with many others) during the Sino-Soviet war to wait it out. Her parents were still back home and it had been 4 years since she'd talked to them. Her English was fairly good, with some hint of a British Hong-Kong accent mixed with her native Cantonese.

"On one hand, they day the government stockpiled supplies at UBC in order to turn it into a hub for recovery after a nuclear attack. There are some old WWII bunkers, well, concrete rooms and tunnels, and they stored food and whatnot there."

"On the other, there's a lot lying around that people assumed was dead from the EMP, but turned out not to be because there was no electricity to check."

"Mostly I guess it was leadership and organisation. The Mounties protected us, of course, and some people were hung for coming onto the campus and trying to loot or hurt people. A couple of bikers, one time, I heard."

The other girl was named Sherri, and she asked Mac what they did in the war. He supplied a few well-polished war stories of his, exaggerating his bravery.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:08, Sun 08 June 2008.

Andy finished his sandwich and smiled at Mac's war stories. The guy had put his time in and faced a difficult foe that had been superior in numbers and equipment. He deserved to kick back and spin a line now and again. Andy remained pleasant and attentive but never stopped scaning the area for potential threats.

No point going soft and losing the edge he told himself. If his experience of war had told him anything it was that what ever was round the corner would probably try and kill you. Lose the edge and you might as well shoot yourself.

Belanger, I would like to invite over Commander Clarke and discuss what to do with the prisoner. Time is running fast.

Shevchenko knew that quick action was imperative. Some ideas came to mind but he would wait for Clarke to share.

While the RCMP detachment staff had kept the "field HQ" updated, a face-to-face was obviously needed at this point.

"I agree. I think that the Stickmen rely on fear and misdirection to divide their enemies. Plus they do engage in active intelligence gathering, and obviously have friends and contacts in the West End and downtown with the Undergrounders. Thankfully they are not the hundreds we feared, but still quite sophisticated and organised."

"If the kid continues to cooperate, we could get him to drop off messages instead of his friend the punk, Sebastian."

""This Cyrus is quite worrisome, he seems to be a real messiah character. At least we know where they got the petrol and kerosene from! Now, where do you suppose those tankers were from originally?"

Belanger made the call to Clarke, bringing her and her small staff back to the temporary HQ in Kitisilano to have a council-of-war.

Otherwise, the census was proceeding nicely. They should be over half done by the end of the day, and complete by the end of the next, with maybe a day more to sort, collate and file the information gathered.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #19):

Clarke arrived and discussed her observations about Josh with Belanger and Taras.  She also listened to what Taras had to say about the young man.

"Probably a good idea you have there, Taras.  I don't feel very good about it, to be honest.  If he gets caught he's dead, in a most unpleasant fashion.  But we need the intel, and he was caught spying on us.  From his own admission, he's involved in torturing people to death to say the least."

They got the call to form up at the temporary off-campus HQ.

"Well ladies, time to go fight evil elsewhere. See you around?"

They agreed, then finished their break and headed off. As they got into the SUV Mac nudged Andy.

"Hey, I think that Ellen chick was mackin' on ya! You should look her up."

The thought of having the main brass around made Taras more comfortable. They seem to share a common vision and understanding of the situation and that made things easier.

My friends, we have hear a golden oportunity to use the young fellow as a mole. My plan is as follows: First we have to put some fear in him to cooperate. More than fear I would say "overpower" him somehow. This should help to "help" him to cooperate. We have to show him that we are strong. I suggest a similar show of force as we did with Bulat. Young people are easily impressed with the heavy military stuff. Then we inform him of the bad news, of course. He will be getting a harsh sentence for what he did. An then obviously will come the candy. We are thankful for his sincerity and cooperation and willing to reduce the incoming sentence. How? Easy. He will be released free and join the ranks of the stickmen again and he will tell them that his partner was caught by us and that he escaped. He will report a good deal of information on us but obviously short in numbers and capabilities. We have to look weak...

Shevchenko took a breath. He couldn't dissimulate his enthusiasm while explaining his ideas. He took his notebook and flipped the last pages looking for some notes. The enigmatic cyrillic characters appeared again:

Here is a list of questions: As you can see they were already here...

The ukrainian started translating, not without difficulty, the mentioned notes. Probably gathered through academic and wartime experience the dormant questions came to life:

a) Where are the stickmen located? Have they any prisoners with them?
b) What are the shortcomings being experienced by the stickmen in their violent campaign?
c) What is the stickmen oprational and political planning?
d) What are the stickmen numbers, organisation, deployments, training, weapons and communications means?
e) How are the relations with the undergrounders and other communities?
f) What is the magnitude of involvement of the stickmen against other communities including plans against UBC?
g) What is the stickmen morale like? How are the conditions in their bases?
h) What are the stickmen's intelligence network details and priorities for operations against other citizens?

Taras folded his notebook and put a pen across and on top of it. Lifting his head and looking across the table he added:

I guess this should make it. A drop off mailbox in an easy recognizable landmark to communicate will help to obtain all this intelligence and also facilitate further questions. I also suggest to have a "case" officer or liaison to meet with him if the mailbox is compromised or any emergency happens. The kid would be too valuable to risk and we have to offer him some security as well. Before we let him go, we shall remind him the consequences of refusing to cooperate. He will have three enemies to run from: The friend he betrayed, the stickmen he betrayed and the Law Enforcement that he also betrayed. Sounds convincing enough?

Before any answer he quickly added:

I guess we should go over this questions again with him to obtain more information and also corroborate his previous statements.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #22):

Clarke considered for a moment.  I think you are right about the mole, but wrong about motivation.  Fear is no motivator.  He already knows fear.  I seem to recall you wanted a show of force to persuade Bulat as well.  She looked up at him, eyes twinkling.  "But it wasn't needed.  He was ready to come in out of the cold.  He had a woman, a baby on the way.  What he wanted was a fresh start, a home for his family.  Offer him that, and he came.

She paced a bit, then turned back to the others.  "That's all Josh really wants.  Not to be hungry.  Not to be cold.  Not to have some crazy man controlling his life because he has no where else to go.  I'll warrant it's the same for many others in the camp.  The ones like Sebastian will put up a fight, but we can deal with that.  Talk to him, Taras.  You know a thing or two about coming in out of the cold."

*Kelsey, unaware that she missed close encounters with lovely coeds is with Clarke when the main element meets with them, she nods to what is said, looking serious*

"I think I mentioned before you catch more flies with sugar instead of vinegar, offer him protection and immunity from prosecution, and I bet you get what you want."

Clarke grinned.  "Like I said, fear he knows all about.  It's hope he has little concept of."

*She smiles*
"I like how you think, Clarke"

A man battred by years of military culture and scarred with wartime experience like Shevchenko was now confronted with a different view. Not political, or religious...just femenine. Less cruel and revengeful and more kind and motherly.

I see that you have a very compasionate way of looking at things... Very well...I wouldn't say that the poor kid is need of a hot soup and some hugs. But the guy has probably some innocent blood in his hands. Remember this well. We were lucky with Bulat. I knew him and he was willing to cooperate. He didn't kill any civilian and not every woman in town is pregnant yet. I'm also hoping that this Josh will cooperate as well. He cracked open too soon though...He has a weak character and he will need to be kept somehow protected. I will suggest a female case officer to be his contact with us. What do you think about the questions? Shall we proceed? For me, the sooner we release him the better.

*Kelsey blushes a bit at the analysis and shrugs*

"I've been at the sharp end too, all of us have, I've just seen enough killing if we can find another way.  I understand this may go bad in there, and if you want me to work with the boy, I will.  We have the good fortune that the blood on our hands is legal."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #28):

"Not exactly looking for warm soup and hugs here either, Taras.  Just efficiency.  Fear won't win loyalty.  You pointed out yourself he sold out Cyrus in a heartbeat.  That's the kind of loyalty fear gets you.

Clarke paused for a moment, considering what she would say next.  "There are up to 80 adults in there, about 20 children.  Not enough to put up effective resistance if we know their weaknesses and exploit them, but more than enough for a bloodbath.  Or a mass suicide.  Anything we can do to mitigate those loses and our own would be worthwhile to pursue.

Clarke smiled at Taras and put her hand on his shoulder.  "You do have a point.  When bringing people in out of the cold, best to keep in mind that some deserve to freeze."

Andy took in everything that was being said and then spoke up, "I was concerned about sending the boy back in, he cracked easily for us and if he couldn't deal with that pressure, I'm worried if he'll be able to deal with the pressure of being a double agent. Giving him hope and something to live for may be enough, but I'm still worried. If we do send him in, we're going to need additional INTEL to back up his HUMINT otherwise I'd advise against staking people's lives on what he does."

In reply to Andrew Montgomery McRae (msg #30):

You have a point, Andy.  As a front liner, it's your life on the line more than any other.  The question to ask is why he gave it up so quick.  Is he scared or fed up?  I think it's fed up.  He doesn't read as scared as much as feeling guilty.  We do need some way to verify, maybe even go so far as get our own agents in there.

I'm not comfortable with giving someone who participated in torture and murder a free ride, either.  Reduction if he cooperates, but amnisty only if he can pursuade others to surrender as well.

"Did he now? Did he really commit these crimes?"

Belanger looked over the transcript.

"He said that he didn't want to talk about it. Guilty, yes, perhaps guilty about not stopping it? As if he could. We should nail down his culpability a little more."

He took out a pouch of tobacco, then lit his pipe.

"There's also the issue of mens rea... "guilty mind", one of the basic requirements under the law."

He quoted some Latin from memory.

"Actus non facit reum nisi mens sit rea."

"The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. In this case, if he was coerced into committing criminal acts, he is not criminally liable. A young kid, an orphaned refugee, in the middle of a group led by a vicious sociopath, where's he going to go? The Undergrounders? He would be dead meat. West Van? Call the authorities?"

"Let's say I don't have much hope for the Crown securing a conviction in this case."

"Besides, the Crown has held it's nose and made some rotten deals. This kid isn't any Karla Homolka!"

There was a moment of shared revulsion at the notorious plea deal that let her be sentenced for manslaughter in exchange for testifying against her co-partner in serial killing 4 young women (including her sister Tammy), Paul Bernardo.

"Be that as it may, I agree with Taras and Clarke, we should use him as a double-agent."

"We can double check some of his information. We can have Andy keep watch over him, and Andy read lips. He can wear a wire, no one would expect that these days. Unknown to him, Andy can also recce the Park tonight or some other night, do his own head-count for us, examine the defenses, look for the tankers. See if the information is valid."

"Also, we have listening devices that can be planted, so we can overhear this "Cyrus'" plans.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:43, Fri 13 June 2008.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #32):

"So you're saying he's not guilty of anything, or at least nothing you can make stick. Then offering him hope and a way out becomes even more important.  Without those things, what right do we have to ask him to risk his life for us?  We could play the 'good citizen' angle. However, self-interest is a basic law in economics.  It works pretty well for human behavior as well."

Clarke took out a some paper that was blank on one side and drew a rough sketch of the park from maps they had.  "Let's get an idea from him of the lay-out.  Belanger, the recce idea is a good one, but much more cautious than before.  We won't be so lucky getting out again if caught.  Listening devices are also good. Jeremy would know who else is tired of life under a psycopath.  He might be able to find people who would rather quit than fight."

*Kelsey listens with great interest, then grins widely*

"I will check with the mounties to see if they have the transmitters.  I have receivers that will make theirs look like tin cans.. just installed and I been just dieing to try them out.. radio direction finders and the lot.  With a plan, I could set up three attennae and be able to triangulate his position.  Have a ready force in an armor carrier and a team ready to strike or maybe artillery, mortars or something, would be more effective.  Hell.. we got a mark 19, right?"

Lee laughed at Kelsey's boast, although it was probably true. As an infantry signaler, there would have been no need for any kind of sophisticated surveillance equipment, but Kelsey's months of experience in the DRI probably taught her a few tricks.

"Well, we don't have the gear here we once did, but the RCMP did engage in counter-intelligence during the war. Not so much now."

She gave her input on how to resolve the Stickmen dilemma.

"With all due respect to Mr. Belanger, planting a wire on the kid is something we wouldn't do at this stage of the game, anyways. We don't know if we can trust him, the chance of accidental discovery is too risky, and so on."

"I agree that Kelsey would make a good control for the kid instead of a Mountie like me. Of course, I will assist as much as possible if she likes."

In other words, her experience in the RCMP's anti-gang unit had given her considerable experience, but she would let Kelsey take the lead.

"As for the prospect of dislodging the Stickmen from the Park, let's not be hasty in action. There is much intelligence to gather and verify, and different approaches to contemplate."

"There are, in my opinion, 4 similar scenarios to consider: the Mowhawk Warriors at Oka, the Branch Davidians in Waco, MOVE in Philadelphia and the Nuwaubians in Georgia."

"During the so-called Oka Crisis in Quebec in 1990, the Mohawk Warriors were a radical native-rights group that clashed with police over the building of a golf course on "traditional" tribal lands that were not part of the reserve. They then occupied public and tribal lands to protest social, economic and political conditions. The stand-off with Quebec police was successfully dealt with by deploying Canadian Forces (there being no Canadian equivalent to Posse Comitatus) who cordoned the radicals to isolate them; people were let out but not into the reserve. The cordon was then continually constricted until the radicals were confined to a single building, the band's rec centre. The last hold-outs surrendered. No further casualties resulted other than a Sûreté du Québec constable killed in the initial police action."

"In Waco in 1993, we all know that the same classic containment strategy did not work. Religious and radical social beliefs created a "bunker mentality" centred around a charismatic religious leader, and a lengthy stand-off resulted. The siege ended in disaster; more say the fire the ended it was accidental, some say it was lit by the Davidians themselves to commit suicide, others claim it was the government. All agree that the strategy used was a complete failure resulting in total civilian casualties as they still not surrender."

"In Philadelphia in 1985, a stand-off between radical quasi-religious social and political activists and police also ended in complete tragedy. Well-situated in prepared urban defenses, an accidental fire set by a bomb intended to be the opening move in a police assault caused extreme civilian casualties because they still would not abandon their fortified positions."

"Lastly, the social and religious extremists of the Nuwaubians occupied a fortifiable compound in rural Georgia. Building on "lessons learned" during the Waco siege, a containment strategy was eschewed except as a last resort. Instead, the cult leader, Dwight York aka Malachai Z. York, etc. etc. etc. was identified as the spiritual and motivating element of the group. He was isolated and arrested off-compound, while separated from his followers and thus his power base. Leaderless, the entire compound and all followers were simultaneously captured without incident or resistance. This speed was crucial, as the Nuwaubians were gathering support from various sympathetic legitimate political leaders and social activists who were beginning to critise "government interference" in the Nuwaubians' affairs."

"Of course, we should hope to emulate either the first or fourth examples. The first used containment, which is the usual strategy for dealing with barricaded suspects or political or social radicals."

She paused for emphasis, looking at the others.

"Bear in mind, it was believed, correctly, that the Mohawks were ultimately not interested in giving up their lives for their cause, and were more interested in making a political statement and not escalating into further violence. Also, they lacked a strong central leader. "Their "centre of gravity" was their land and their political demands. Isolated and having taken their protest as far as they could without escalating, they eventually surrendered without a fight."

"Contrarily, in the last example, the group's "centre of gravity" was identified as their messianic leader. Once isolated from him, containment was quickly achieved and the compound secured without incident or a lengthy seige."

Lee sipped her coffee, leaving it to Clarke and the others to debate the pros and cons of the different approaches.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:02, Sun 15 June 2008.

"We will have to take all considerations into account."

"The militia here, they are part-time. We are already back to 1/2 the level of when you arrived, about 60 part-time active members backing up the 20 RCMP. Calling all of them out for an extensive period of time will affect the community economically, politically, even socially."

"Plus, they need better training. Now, they have the equivalent of GMT (General Military Training; ie: "Basic") so they can follow orders and maintain their weapons. They have what specialised infantry training I could teach them with limited facilities (like patrolling, assualting or defending) but there is limited ammunition for marksmanship practice."

Belanger continued smoking his pipe.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #36):

"I think first we need some additional information.  Corraborate as much of Josh's information about the internal defenses as we can.  Try to find out if there is a time and place where Cyrus typically leaves the compound.  Who they trade with, when and what for.  Josh has already mentioned alchohol for bombs, but this has been replaced by the kerosene and petrol they captured from the tankers."

Clarke looked to Taras.  "Proceed with the questions you wanted to ask, Taras.  We can't build a firm plan until we know exactly what it is we are dealing with.  Take Kelsey in with you.  You can use the opportunity to establish her as Josh's handler.  If we can cut a deal with Josh, we'll cut him loose.  We don't have a lot of time to come to a decision on that.  We don't want to miss his next scheduled report time."

She turned back to Lee  "I think plan four is going to be optimal.  This isn't a peaceful group and they are far from leaderless.  If Josh and Sebastian are any examples of his people, however, they aren't very unified.  Some will fight like tigers and others are so sickened by his behavior they'll quit given the slightest opportunity.  We need more intel but the plan should take advantage of this weakness.  If we can cull out Cyrus and his central pack, the rest will give up without a fight."

*Kelsey grins wider, appreciating any compliments*

"You haven't seen the gear I managed to scrounge and set up, have you?  Anyway, I am honored, I will try to do my best, and am counting on your help, Rachel"

Most excellent, Clarke. I'm taking Champlain with me and we will go over the questions again with the prisoner. This should gives us a good scope on the situation.

Taras appeared to have some odd piece of food stuck betwen his teeth. Unable to remove it with the tip of the tongue and being toothpick an unavailable commodity at this point he put a finger in his mouth and start twisting it upwards to the amazement of the presents. The final prize came out as a spinach trophy.

Aha !

Taras catapulted the prize using the middle finger tip supported by the thumb. A ballistic parabollic flight placed it a few inches from the corner of the room. As it nothing had happened he inquired towards Champlain:
Any chance to get our next interview taped?

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #39):

Clarke followed the projectile with her eyes.  "I hope you don't do that during the interview," she said drolly.  "Carry on, Taras.

Taras couldn't help a chuckle after Clarke's remark.

Thank You. Let's go Champlain.

He stood up and opened the door leaving the meeting room.

Lee smiled. "Touché!"

"I'm sure your gear pretty good. I've seen the shops they have here, with those you should be able to do even better."

"Well, we know what to ask, let's do it. I'll wait here for now, help you work up a plan after."

Indeed, there was a camera already set up. The previous interview was taped, and so would this one be.

"If you want to send in Andy to do some verifying at some point, we can make a plan for that, infiltration, reaction force, and so on. We still have several hours until night, when the kid will take back the information. He can probably tell them that the other guy, Sebastian, made him take the message back. Sounds plausible."

They entered the office-cum-interview room and took their seats. Some small talk ensued, and the kid, Josh, didn't seem to react to what appeared to be a Russian interviewer. He smiled a little at Kelsey but figured (correctly) from the short spiky hair she was a bit of a dyke. He looked tired, but relieved.

"So, what do you wanna know?"

Shevchenko took a seat in fron of the new "guest". This was the first time to "use" his brand new rank in an official and hopefully efficient manner. He started talking to the suspect in a calm but firm voice:

Look, Josh. Before we start with the stickmen I want to make clear your situation. First of all you did some bad things and because of that you are currently under arrest. A judicial process is started against you for what you did. It will take time. Justice is hard but is the Justice. There will be investigations and search for evidences and all that. In a due time you will get a sentence. That's pretty much it.

Taras look at the cold reaction of the young kid in trouble. The he shook his head slowly and kept on taking but this time in a more gentle, almost fatherly, tone:

Listen now. We believe you were dragged by that people and somehow forced to do things that you didn't want to do. Look, our job here is restore normality and not destroy more lives. We want to give opportunities to everybody. That's what they told me is the canadian way . We can help you. We are truly willing to make sure you will have a very light sentence. But for that we need your cooperation. I think is fair.

The ukrainian made a short pause to make sure that the proposition will make effect. Trying to relax the stress of the moment he pointed both his index fingers to Josh and to himself in a fast manner while winking over his grinning face.

You help me. I help you.

Without waiting for any response, the freshly minted Sargent continued:

Of course we have a lot of questions for you to answer but that wouldn't take long. I think you are a smart kid and we can get over that in a quick and efficient manner. What I really want from you is a very important decission. I really need to know if you are willing to keep working with us. Before you answer me I'd like to give you some options. As you can see, we like to give people opportunities. Here are your choices:

The voice turn deadly serious again. Taras sat upright extending his right hand and grabbing his thumb as pretending to be numbering the options:

Number one: If you are willing to help us you will be released and you will go back to Stanley Park. You will tell them that your partner was captured and you escaped. You'll give them your reports, of course, maybe a little bit...changed. We will provide you with a place or places where you can pick up our messages and drop yours: a mailbox. This lady will be your "case officer" and you may have contact with her for everything that you may need. As I said, you are smart and I'm sure you understand what a double agent means...

Taras left hand was gripping now finger number two. His eyes fixed in Josh expression.

Number two: You decide not to cooperate...I know you are in a difficult situation and you are scared of coming back. Well, then you will be kept behind bars until enough evidences are gathered to start the judicial process and then you will be sentence without any benefit of possible reduction or amnesty...

The hands of Shevchenko were resting now on the table. Fast tapping fingertips occupied the brief paused with their rhythmic pattern.

Let me explain a little bit more before you make a wise choice. Your cooperation will speed up the prosecution of the people that ruin your life and many others. We will take care of you and keep your anonimity. The more information you can provide to us the more chances to get them and get a parole, for instance.

The side to side movement of Taras head came to show some incoming negativity for the next proposition.

If you are not willing to cooperate...Well then, you are going to have many enemies out there... Including the stickmen that will probably think that you exposed them to us. The judge will look for a maximum sentence. Who knows...many years in prison...

Shevchenko finally added:

Look Josh, you did something wrong. I don't blame you. We are living hard times. But you are lucky because you have an opportunity to have a future. You have achoice. Now is up to you. What do you say?</Red>

*Completely oblivious, the 12 year military vet just nods and smiles*
"Sure, I can record audio"

"I guess the question on recording was rhetorical?"

*She laughs and follows*

Clarke looked at Belanger.  I think we'll be able to get some help from Josh after Taras' performance.  She grinned at the man.  "If he doesn't scare him to death first.  It's probably a good thing that Kelsey is in there with him."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Fri 20 June 2008.

Belanger nodded in agreement.

"Yes, young Josh should be of considerable value."

"Also, I agree that Kelsey's damn sharp. I don't doubt that there were certain... "personality factors" in her still being a Private. Even after all this time and the war. Canadian society has changed over time, and the 'Forces were dragged kicking and screaming along with it. In the 60's to the 80's, when I was in, Canada was still quite a socially conservative place, moreso than the USA in most ways, and you would never have seen women in a combat role like now. Let alone any lesbians in the 'Forces at all, homosexuality itself being a crime until the 70's. Of course now it's the other way around, Canada has evolved into a far more liberal society than the USA in many respects. Overall that's neither strictly here nor there of course."

But of course it was important when it came to the career prospects of a lesbian woman in the Canadian Forces. Belanger raised an eyebrow, wordlessly asking Clarke if she concurred in his assessment in at least how Kelsey's sexuality and "un-military" affected her advancement in rank.

"So the question is, why is she still a Private? She's good enough to be Section Leader: a Corporal. People trust her, respect her opinions. You have the authority to promote her. Same with Master Corporal McRae, he should be made Master Sniper so he can lead a proper sniper team. We did the same with Taras in promoting him, Inspector Khandola believed Taras deserved the rank of Sergeant."

Smiling a little Provost Belanger turned back to the monitor, sipping his tea, waiting for her reply.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:58, Sat 21 June 2008.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #44):

Josh looked more and more nervous when Taras laid out the situation. When the possibility of a deal, of redemption was offered, he practically jumped at it.

"You're offering me a... plea bargain? To snitch?"

He thought about it for a second, looking down at the scarred conference table. He pulled his arms into his shirt, as if seeking some kind of warmth or security, a turtle pulling in its extremeties to become less vulnerable. He sighed, then nodded.

"Okay, I'll do it. Let me know what you want me to find out and I'll do whatever I can. What the hell life or future can Cyrus offer me, or anyone? I don't like being a rat, 'cause rats die. Just make sure I'm safe, eh?"

He knew that there was likely no way to guarantee that 100%.

"Can I get a cigarette, maybe something to drink?"

*Kelsey pulls out a battered pack of Benson & Hedges 100's, tapping one out and offering it to him, and shortly after offering to light it, with an even more worn and battered Zippo lighter bearing her unit's insignia.  A keepsake of old times, a reminder of how it was, how it could be again.*

*She smiles at him generously*

"Here.  I'm Kelsey."
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:07, Sat 21 June 2008.

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #50):

The kid (although he was no longer really a kid) looked at the pack as he took one out. "Benson & Hedges, nice! I remember my folks taking me to the fireworks... you know, before the war." He lit one up, sucking the smoke into his lungs.

Benson & Hedges had sponsored a major fireworks festival in the city before the war, the "Symphony of Fire". It was an international competition lasting over a week, where 3 different countries competed, and the winner gave an "encore" performance.

In a way having Kelsey there was an excellent idea, as she projected a less traditional image (albeit still military) and therefore less threatening. Taras was more intimidating, speaking with a Russian accent and wearing a Mountie's uniform with a military bearing.

"Kelsey is... unconventional.  But her competence is unmistakable.  I've only known her a little while and I feel it is a waste of talent to keep her in held back as a Private.  The same for McRae.  We need to encourage competent people by promoting them."  She grinned at Belanger.  "I'll get to work on the appropriate paperwork.

Taras reflected over the situation while looking at Josh puffing away the long desired cigarette. A sense of accomplishment filled his thoughts for a moment. The kid was willing to cooperate. Not like he didn't have more choice but certainly a good position to start with. The fingers flipped over the pages to find again the notes with the questions that was ready to fire away. Now comes the interesting part... He decided that will go one question after another and trying to complete some of the answers with further inquires in order to gain, if possible, a detail insight in the structure of the "enemy".

Congratulations! I should say that you made a wise choice. We are going to be with you all steps of the way.

The body language of the young Josh across the table was clearly indicating a will to provide the much needed answers. But it was necessary for the Sargent to clear his intentions one more time before starting the round. Using a plain tone, almost academic and minimal expression but maintaining eye contact all the time Shevchenko began:

Before we start there is something I want to tell you. The more information that you provide to any issue the better for all of us. Any question that I may consider that is not enough covered will be in need to be investigated and contacted by the mailbox or Kelsey...I would like to limit the contacts as much as possible for obvious reasons. The better picture we have the sooner we finish this business...

Taras didn't need any comment or answer to that so he continued in his very same line:

Ok, Josh. First we need to know where the stickmen are located. If they have a complex,ranch or temple, etc. Also if they have any other buildings where they live and also any fixed military type of post like watch towers, bunkers, etc. We need to know if any of these facilities contains prisoners. I hope you understand what I mean by prisoners...

This was supposed to be the first question. Taras was expecting the first flow of intel with the pencil ready. A chilly moment of silence made its presence in the room.

Josh pulled on the cigarette then looked for a place to put his ashes.

"You have a map? Well, ah, the park is kind of triangular. Points to the east and west, and to the north. The causeway sort up goes up the middle and leads to the bridge. The other end of the causeway is West Georgia St.. Aside from West Georgia, the other road into the park is Beach Ave. Between Beach Ave. and West Georgia is Lost Lagoon, kind of like a lake. On the other side of the Causeway is, like, water, too. So it's easy to block off the Causeway. We get around on mountain bikes, on the paths."

"There's a dozen people at the west end of the park, all warriors. Living at the Fish House restaurant building. They cover Beach Ave. There's another dozen in the cafe/gift shop at Lookout Point keeping watch on the bridge."

He admitted that he made a mistake earlier; when he said the Teahouse he'd really meant the Fish House.

"The rest live around the buildings in the east end of the park. Like, the zoo, the aquarium, um... there's a stadium, a police station. From there they can cover West Georgia and the Causeway. Plus, there are fishing boats we pull up by Lumberman's Arch."

"No one really lives in the middle of the park, there's no water supply. Oh, I think maybe there's a couple families living in tents by Beaver Lake."

http://www.stanleyparkcycle.co...park_overviewmap.jpg

*She pops one out for herself and lights it before putting the zippo back up, leaning against the wall nonchalantly, she smiles nostagically*
"I was there.  It was, fantasmal"
*she smiles softly, eyes looking ceilingward, distant a moment as she recalls the flowers of fire in the that fated summer sky*

Not being very familiar with the Stanley Park lay out and features, Taras couldn't get a good picture so he referred the issue to Kelsey, a better choice for marking down the locations:

Ok, Josh. This is good. Kelsey here will draw a basic map of Stanley Park and you will help her to pinpoint the locations and mor or less the amount of people in the area. It is very important to know which areas are occupied by "warriors" as you said and also which ones are purely civilian...families and such. The big question here is where is Cyrus and his bodyguards. We need you to tell us where are his head quarters. And don't forget about the prisoners. Are there any captives? Someone held for ransom or any other reason?

Shevchenko felt a bit useless and he couldn't but tear off a couple white sheets of the notebook to Kelsey to get a more accurate description. Overall, he didn't felt too bad about the layout exposed by Josh. Nothing too hard to crack but very well strategically located. This dispersion also worked well in Taras plan to dislodge them. Further questioning will bring more information about deployment and command and control but so far it appears that the enemy was dispersed in some positions of advantage and therefore divided. Cyrus remained a misery, though.

Kelsey remembered back to the time her girlfriend took her to the Symphony of Fire fireworks over English Bay. The crowds were bad and they blocked off all the West End for pedestrian traffic only. There were people everywhere, including across English Bay in Vanier Park, on hundreds of private boats anchored almost under the display area, small aircraft circling the downtown (running lights winking, buzzing engines drowned out by the choreographed music) in the war summer's night air. There were stories of fights but she'd not seen anything more illegal than open alcohol and the smell of pot from someone's furtive joint.

Ok, Josh. This is good. Kelsey here will draw a basic map of Stanley Park and you will help her to pinpoint the locations and mor or less the amount of people in the area. It is very important to know which areas are occupied by "warriors" as you said and also which ones are purely civilian...families and such. The big question here is where is Cyrus and his bodyguards. We need you to tell us where are his head quarters. And don't forget about the prisoners. Are there any captives? Someone held for ransom or any other reason?

Josh got to scribbling on the map, and they took notes.

It was obvious that some of the details were changinge a little. Perhaps now that he had a chance to think about it and the map was in front of him, the details became clearer. Certainly, he looked more confident.

"Ah, okay, Cyrus and his bodyguards live here. It's where those fuel trucks are parked."

"It's hard to separate, you know, civilians from fighters, Cyrus' "warriors". 'Cause some of them got families, some of the moms could fight (don't know if they would). I've sort of separated them into where the children are and are not."

It was a little different from classical cult lines, where rigid control over reproduction and sexual activity was the norm.

"There are some guys dug into the island here." He indicated the Naval Cadet training station called HMCS Discovery in Coal Harbour. (Also known "Deadman's Island", as it was formerly a pre-European native burial ground.)

"I don't know why Cyrus doesn't attack them, but they've got barbed wire, shitloads of ammunition and guns, some machine guns. Mines, who knows what-all. Food, too lots of it, I think Cyrus gets food from them to leave them alone? We got some bunkers dug-in on the land side to keep watch, but no regular guards. We leave them alone, they leave us alone."

This isolated group had been referenced by Belanger. His friend and contact in the downtown, Sheppard, traded with them on occasion. He somehow thought they were Americans.

"Plus, there's a ship, like, the back half a ship there, by lighthouse point. Cyrus says it's radioactive, not safe. It's washed up, like, on the rocks. I think it's from when the bomb went off."

The MIRVed warheads were targeted around the eastern portion of Burrard Inlet, over the petroleum refining and storage facilities in North Burnaby, Port Moody and Ioco. (Ioco was in fact the largest refinery in the Lower Mainland, where an isolated hamlet/company town had grown up around the "Imperial Oil Co." refinery complex, and this in turn was also the basis of the name "Ioco".)

Perhaps this was the remains of a ship anchored offshore from the massive Port of Vancouver freight terminal in the Inlet, caught by the shockwave of the blasts. Back broken and separated into two pieces some fluke of water-tight compartments and floatation chambers enabled the rear half to drift with the tide out towards the narrows, where it had grounded on the rocks off Brockton Point Lighthouse.

"There's no prisoners I know of being held right now. Any outsiders Cyrus captures he usually kills, hangs from the bridge. If there were any, they would be held here in the cop shop, the police station."
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:55, Sun 22 June 2008.

Kelsey remembered the girlfriend too, how she smelled.. oddly enough, and that loose happy feeling that life had to it before the war, like the future lay out before you.



Kelsey does draw out a map for him, not bad accuracy even.
"I used to love this park, before the war."



"Maybe just a few bad eggs that have seen Mad Max a few too many times?"

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #58):

Clarke was pleased to see the map take shape.  This would be very helpful in the over all plan.  She wasn't surprised that there were no neat lines drawn between combatant and non-combatant, that mothers could also be warriors.  Her youngest had been five when the war broke out, so she fit that mold herself.

Looking over the shoulder, Shevchenko asked to nobody in particular:

Is getting a little bit late and we are going to get hungry. Can anybody please bring some food? Maybe our dear chef can prepare a delicious sushi platter. Also a good selection of refreshments will be great...

After the first round of answers, Shevchenko felt that they were going the right way. The idea of asking for food was twofold. Firstly, the prisoner would be surprised not only with the prospect of having dinner but a real good one. A treat in such harsh times. Secondly, Taras was looking to clear up the room of many witnesses and keep the room ambient more relaxed and intimate. The amount of information was detailed and apparently legit and even transpired veracity. On the downside it was taking time to go through details like the map and so. Taras quickly return to the task. He would wait the precious second where the face of Josh would be illuminated by the expentancy of the japanese culinary feast and then he will move to the next question:

Josh, what are the shortcomings being experienced by the stickmen in their violent campaign?.

*Kelsey looks up at the mention of sushi, scowls a little*
"Just have him do me up a good burger, can't beat his and a nice break from field rats... though those wings we had at the pub last night were awful tasty, especially with the beer!"
*Adding herself to the idea that it was back more to business as usual, and that normal people weren't hiding in the park, but instead hanging out in pubs*

Josh's mouth watered at the anticipation of having something better to eat than whatever fare the Stickmen offered for nutrition.

He continued his information, prompted by Tara's questions.

"Some of the people (in the Park), they get off on the violence. I think most others just want to live in peace, are even afraid of him. They don't want to say anything. Cyrus has everyone afraid that the army and the police are going to come in an' kill everyone."

"I think people outside, they're scared of Cyrus. He's built up a pretty bad-ass rep. Most of the Undergrounders downtown don't really want to get involved, but don't really love the government either. There are a few of them that even say he's crazy but no one has stood up to him."

He moved on to Taras' other questions, prompted as necessary.

"Uh, I don't really know what Cyrus' big lans are. He wants all the gangs to join forces and resist the government. Talks about it all the time. He talks about holding a meeting in the summer some time, like a rally. He's mentioned the Bridge Trolls, the Hells Angels and the Los Diablos."

"But, ah, the trucks came from the Airport, and I don't know if he has any real contact with the Los Diablos, so maybe it's just blowing smoke?"

They'd heard about the Bridge Trolls, living on Sea Island and YVR (Vancouver International Airport). The possible link to the Hells Angels (aka "Hells Angels Motorcycle Club", "HAMC", "HAs", "Angels", "Hells") was no big surprise, they were an Outlaw Motorcycle Gang and a major criminal narcotics syndicate in BC and throughout Canada from before the war. They were well-organised, well-funded and well-armed. They had survived with little problem in the lawless atmosphere after the collapse of civil order. Mention of the Los Diablos were a little surprising; they were a street gang and low-level dealers from before the war, located mostly in suburban Burnaby and comprising many Hispanic immigrants from Central and South America.

He went over the Stickmen's numbers, weapons, training and organisation again. It was essentially the same as before: 60 adults, 20 children (give or take). About 2/3rds of the adults were male. Maybe 50 effectives, trained to use the weapons they had, mainly bows, crossbows, machetes, knives, Molotov cocktails.

Training daily was with weapons, some loose small-unit tactics (based on ad hoc sections of 5-10 warriors), and a lot of physical training. This high level of activity required more and better food than they could get themselves, necessitating trade with the outside.

Operationally they mostly were trained to react defensively to attacks on the park, via ambush and counter-attack, "but we have a few scouts (Cyrus' bodyguards) and we do go out of the park to take revenge on people. Plus lots of people know the city, how to get around. We know every inch of the park, and we are pretty quiet in the woods or the city when we need to be. When people come into the park it's usually via the Causeway. Once we get warning we get into our groups (which are designated ahead of time but change and are not permanent), man the bunkers and spider holes,  let them get a ways in and then stop them and take 'em out."

Relations with other communities were varied.

"Most Undergrounders are afraid of Cyrus. Some trade with him every month, he gets food and other supplies. He says they're not the enemny, but it's hard to tell if he will change his mind at some point!"

"You know... there are other people in the downtown. Some Hells Angels run a club called "Brandi's". Used to be a strip joint, now I think it's a whorehouse. They got armed guys outside all the time, Harleys, the whole deal."

"They say you can get anything there. It's because, well, people say he likes 'am young. So he goes there to get his rocks off when they got someone in because he doesn't want to mess around with "his people". Guess that would be too much for people."

Josh looked disgusted and grossed out by this admission.

"So, ah, he meets with the Angels there, at Brandi's. I guess."

Kelsey remembered the club, it was in the upper stories of a well-built office block downtown, at the NW corner of Dunsmuir and Hornby. Above the Keg Ceasar's steak house restaurant, it had a private elevator from the street and an elaborate security system. Before the war it was rumoured that the HA's owned it, now it was pretty certain.

"So far, there isn't any kind of cooperation with outside groups against UBC. Also against West Van. Things like that, Cyrus goes it alone. Helps build our rep, he says."

"Morale? Like, how happy are people? People are afraid, but Cyrus takes good care of people and things are better in many ways than outside. No disease or starvation. Some people are a little afraid, yeah, but things aren't bad enough to make people want to leave. In fact, as he goes along, wins fights and does more stuff and gets away with it, people are starting to think maybe he's right, that we don't need anyone to come in and run our lives."

As for intelligence network, Cyrus had a few sympathisers in the Undergrounders that he trades with.

"They give him information, sometimes they come to the park to tip him off or tell him when he's in the downtown, which is, like, every week. Also, the HAs give him info when he visits them, too. I don't know if he as a radio or something."

In reply to helbent4 (msg #62):

Clarke was outside of the room, but listening.  The camera was linked to a closed curcuit TV courtesy of Kelsey so that observers could watch the interview without disturbing it.  When Taras mentioned food, she took out some cash and asked Chirs and Andy if they would mind making a run for some grub.

At the mention of Cyrus' visits to the whorehouse, Clarke suddenly thought, "Gotcha.  We've been looking for a way to catch him outside the compound where we can capture him.  This is just about perfect."  They would need to find out how frequently Cyrus made his jaunts, when the last time he went, get an idea of when he would go again.

A pedophile, but smart enough not to hunt in his own backyard.  Clarke thought of her own children and her stomache turned.  She wanted that guy bad.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:40, Tue 24 June 2008.

"I can see the benefits of capturing the enemy leader, Ma'am, but I'd be wary of risking anyone's life on it." Andy spoke softly, "Whilst I'll support and give 100% to any attempt to capture him, I'd suggest we don't rule out killing the guy if it looks as if the take down might get tricky. I know it's not ideal, and I'll volunteer for the point on any arrest missions but I'd prefer him out of the way one way or the other as soon as we decide to move."

Clarke nodded in agreement.  "Take down or shake down, getting that piece of garbage out of the way will make it easier to dismantle the rest of the organization.  It might be easier to get the others to surrender if we take him alive.  It shows we hold life in high regard.  But if it's his life or one of my people, as far as I'm concerned it's a no-brainer."

She looked directly at McRae.  If we can catch him like this, consider yourself in charge of the team.  You'll be Master Sniper for the detail.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:40, Thu 26 June 2008.

Meanwhile, at the interrogation room:

Thank you for all the information, Josh. Now you are mentioning other elements like the "Hell's Angels", "The Bridget rolls", "Los Diablos" and "Undergrounders". This adds more numbers to the equation. I am aware that you may not have the same level of information on this people as with the stickmen but we certainly need to know what you know...

He made a pause. The prisoner needed some time to stop thinking about his previous answers and its consequences and focus on the next inquiries. This would need a better rumorology filter. Taras would pay special attention at the physical gestures and tone of voice. Feelings would be revealed but he didn't want to fall for an exaggerated view or any prejudice from the captive side.

Ok, then. This is the decalog that you just answered regarding the stickmen.

The notebook sheet was turned 180 degrees and put facing Josh. An index finger landed over the paper and approached the questions towards the other side of the table. Josh took it, looked at it and frowned his forehead while trying to make sense of the unorthodox calligraphy of the orthodox writer.

I want you to go over this question regarding the Hell's Angels and we will continue with the rest. I don't want any bullshit about legends and such. I want facts. Try to remember as much as you can. I'm sure in the mean time the food will arrive. We will take a quick break then. We will finish the questions and after a few instructions and advices you'll be free to go.

Here he was Shevchenko. A stranger man in a stranger land. Appalling circumstances to deal with. He was confronted with an unsuspected enemy and certainly supported by an even more eclectic array of new allies. Police work was unknown to him. Many things had prompted him to abandon a totalitarian regime but he would never could imagine how different the criminal aspect was here compared to the Motherland . As an RCMP Officer he could be good at some parts of this demanding job description: basics about security and safety, use of weapons, recce, discipline...all of this was there. But to try to play cop in a world of mafias and organized crime... this was something unexpected and superior to him in many ways.

He remembered for a moment the story of a father with an stubborn young son asking for a piece of cake. The poor little bugger would not leave him alone so he gave him a quite large Atlas puzzle, a map of the world. He thought: Well, this will keep you occupied for a while. When you finish you'll have your cake. An amazing feat for such a tender age: To complete the mapamundi . But not even one hour passed by when the excited, happy kid yelled "I got it! I got it!". The father was "puzzled" as well. How could it be possible? The child came with the answer: This puzzle was double sided. I couldn't do the map, it was too difficult for me but behind the World was the figure of a man. I made the man and I fixed the World!".

Maybe it was time to try to fix the man, the men, the people,...Before trying to conquest the World, the country, the province, the city...There were many good men out there but there were also the tyranny of the bad men. The same kind he had ran away from. This was the time to fight them. But he was no longer a soldier. He would try to put the pieces together, bites of information, like pieces of a sushi boat or a mosaic of tiles. He would try to get a picture, a map. This was his only hope to find a possible solution.

a) Where are the Hell Angels located? Have they any prisoners with them?
b) What are the shortcomings being experienced by the HA in their violent campaign?
c) What is the HA operational and political planning?
d) What are the HA numbers, organisation, deployments, training, weapons and communications means?
e) How are the relations with the undergrounders and other communities?
f) What is the magnitude of involvement of the HA against other communities including plans against UBC?
g) What is the HA morale like? How are the conditions in their bases?
h) What are the HA's intelligence network details and priorities for operations against other citizens?

Indeed, this was a new experience for Taras. Criminals at home were both more vulnerable because the authorities cared less for individual freedoms and the due process of the law. Yet the authorities also worked unofficially in a way with criminal syndicates because corrupt officials both could be relied on to look the other way and allow goods to enter the extensive underground economy.

a) Where are the Hell Angels located? Have they any prisoners with them?
b) What are the shortcomings being experienced by the HA in their violent campaign?
c) What is the HA operational and political planning?
d) What are the HA numbers, organisation, deployments, training, weapons and communications means?
e) How are the relations with the undergrounders and other communities?
f) What is the magnitude of involvement of the HA against other communities including plans against UBC?
g) What is the HA morale like? How are the conditions in their bases?
h) What are the HA's intelligence network details and priorities for operations against other citizens?

"I think the HAs are located in the club downtown, and the clubhouses out Coquitlam. Maybe a couple in Surrey, too, and down in White Rock (which was also technically Surrey). They run the "free market" on Annacis Island, you can get anything there you want, anything. People say they got connections to the US Army down in Washington."

"So far they're not violent towards the Undergrounders or the Stickmen. I hear they pretty much could take what they want throughout the rest of the city, but they usually don't unless you piss them off. There's people in New West, cops and such, that keep them out. They're pissed about that."

"I don't know what the Angels want, really. They don't like cops, I think they want to take over? Lots of people say they feel safer with them, they're better than nothing. They took care of business after the government left. People commit crimes or cause trouble, they form a posse and go after them."

An outright military or political takeover didn't sound too likely for an organisation that sought to exist on the outskirts of society, although a callow 19 year-old might not know this. It was more likely they would seek to influence local politicians in some manner from the shadows, if it were. This might happen if they helped influence an election, or disrupt the introduction of a fragile civil order in order to force some kind of compromise favourable to their interests.

"There's about 20-30 downtown to run the club. I seen them carrying shotguns, M16s, even machine-guns on the building. A Brinks truck is parked there."

"Same at the free market, at least 30 there, heavily armed. They also got a couple more Brinks trucks parked there, some technicals with machineguns on them too."

"I ain't been to their other clubhouses but I seen maybe a couple hundred bikers or more, one time on a "ride". They are all strapped on a rise, plus they had a couple vans and technicals along as support behind."

Lee would explain later that OMGs were organised into "chapters" of 5-30 members or more, each with a clubhouse. Interested prospective members were "hang-arounds", actual recruits were "prospects" and were allowed to wear colours on a probationary basis and their first tatoos. These formed the bulk of the support personnel. Full members were "Full Patch" and allowed to wear the gang's full colours and get even more elaborate tatoos. Club officers like Sergeant-at-Arms, President and Treasurer/Quartermaster were all elected and ran the club as a triumvirate. They held weekly meetings called "Church", and the local chapter leaders met at a "Council" with probably an elected "Director" for the city or region.

"The Undergrounders trade with the survivalists on Deadman's Island, Cyrus and the Stickmen, and the other people living in Vancouver. The Undergrounders also go to trade at the Free Market and in New Westminster."

The food arrived, and they took a break. After, the questions continued.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:15, Fri 27 June 2008.

The numbers of what sounded to be full-patch HAs in Vancouver was if anything larger than before the war. That was assuming that all or most of the riders Josh said he saw were actual full-patch members and not "hang-arounds" with ride-along privileges.

To quickly increase their numbers, Motorcycle gangs frequently merged, or in the case of the HAs, absorbed smaller independent or affiliated gangs en masse in a process called "patching over". In fact, BC's first chapter of the HAMC was a small but vicious local gang known as the "Satan's Angels". The HA's decided it was less effort to co-opt an existing gang than establish their own, and so in the early 80's they patched over the smaller gang, even making an exception to their unwritten "no blacks or asians" policy by allowing a single black Angel into their ranks, although it was made clear he was dead meat if he stepped foot south of the border.

"I don't think the Hells have really fought anyone, like in a stand-up fight. I heard they got thrown outta New West, but it wasn't a gunfight or nothing. The cops just told 'em to leave and not come back, and they did. Lots of other places around. That's not to say that people that cross them don't, you know, disappear or wind up dead. Sometimes bombs go off, car-bombs. Rockets as well, I guess. "Takin' care of business" is what they call it.

It was established that he was referring to assassination-type attacks. If someone ripped off the Angels or defied them, their houses tended to get blown up or shot up by machinguns, their vehicles taken out with LAW rockets, trip over land mines or geta facefull from a Claymore mine. And so on. The hits weren't too discriminating and it was common for friends and even family (women and children) to die in the crossfire, or sometimes be targeted for death as well.

"Morale? I dunno. I guess they live pretty well, they're pretty rich. The lower guys don't seem to get outta line much, and when they do the Chapter's Sergeant-at-Arms straightens them out, smooths things over. Some girls who were with the Undergrounders who turn tricks say they party with the Angels sometimes. They say they pay well, their club houses got everything you want. Food, liquor, lots of drugs, lots of guns."

He looked troubled.

"You know, the Angels also have a place out in Surry where they like to party. They call it the "Pigpen". It's, like, a farm, got barns, I guess. Sometimes... they say sometimes the girls don't come back from the Pigpen."

"I got no idea how their intelligence works. They got lots of supporters. Not just other bikers, but people that deal for them, work with them. They run hookers, the clubs around town that are still open are under their protection. I guess they want to make money? I don't really know what their plans are for citizens."

Taras lacked the patience and grace to handle the...chopsticks. Instead he would use his fingers or, in the event of a larger than a mouthful piece, he would bayonet the victim with the always faithful folding knife. Once the prize was stabbed he would lift and parade it in front of his eyes with a twist of the wrist.

This so called cucumber roll actually is a rip-off. Nothing but a tiny piece of cucumber surrounded by rice!. This heroes of Tsushima sure know how to trick a subdit of the Rodina!!!.

Everybody was in a better mood after the appetite was addressed. Generous rounds of rice tea helped to digest the japanese hors d'oeuvres.

Around a mouthful of sashimi Josh added, "there are also people living in the West End. Not a lot of them, but it's not completely empty either. I don't think they're a real group like the Stickmen or the Undergrounders. West Enders? I dunno."

In reply to helbent4 (msg #67):

"Sounds like these Hells Angels are the current local authority to me, and not to e strictly discounted as what they were before the war.  They stepped up and did for the people what needed to be done.  I think we should try dealing with them as if they are the local police, give them a level of respectability"

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #71):

Clarke wasn't in the room with Kelsey, so she couldn't respond to the comment.  It would have to be like any group they encountered.  The reaction would need to be dictated by what they discovered about the individuals.  Josh seemed to be implying that someone there was killing prostitutes.  They also provided girls for a man known to "like them young."  Neither of those were things Clarke was prepared to tolerate.

But if they had kept order for people, there might be some among them that could be trusted.  They would just have to wait and see.

"Sure, I was thinkin' of maybe joinin' the Angels some day. They say that no one who lives near a clubhouse gets robbed!" He bobbed his head in agreement.

In reply to Andrea Clarke-Sullivan (msg #72):

Looking at the monitor, Lee snorted in derision.

"Treat the Angels like local authorities or cops? That's rather naive. The Angels break-in their working girls by raping them and getting them hooked on smack."

"Of course no one robs people who live near a clubhouse. It's easy to make sure of that if you are controlling the thieves and muggers."

"The kid just said how they kill people who cross them, murder women and children, run drugs and hookers. Make them cops? Never gonna happen."

She shook her head and laughed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:02, Mon 30 June 2008.

Kelsey looks back a moment to the camera/two way glass and smirks a little, winking quickly, then looking back to the kid.

"That's right, and sometimes just a few bad apples can spoil the barrel, get them out and it's all fine, right?"

OOC-I'm a bit confused about who id talking to whom and where at the moment. If what Andy has to say has any chance of being hear outside of the unit, he won't say it.

Andy listened to the discussions and stroked the side of his chin rather uncomfortable, "Ma'am, I apologise for what I am about to say, it's potentially out of order, and it's certainly distasteful, but I want to float it as an option, one I'd rather not contemplate, but I feel it's my duty to at least air it. We have to strike a balance between being legal and on the side of the angels, not the Angels, and facing the fact that we are against several groups of hardened killers who hide behind the protection that a civilised society would give them whilst flouting its rules with impunity. Sure we should try to be diplomatic, but we need to be prepared for that to fail. I'd suggest that we consider adopting a British Army Black Ops technique. We set up a "vigilante" or counter-gang unit that can operate below the radar. That way if diplomacy fails we can eliminate some of the blocks to that diplomacy whilst maintaining plausible deniability." Andy sighed, "I know it's not the right way to do it but we may have to do bad things for the better good of the people."

Taras has suggested something of the sort already, though not exactly in those terms.  The idea that we may have to get a little dirty to get things done.  I'm concerned about crossing that line.  Once you go there, it's hard to come back.  It's also hard to distinguish what is right from wrong any longer.  What you are doing that is heavy handed because it needs to be and what is just convenient.  She looked at McRae.  She looked pretty grim, as if there was quite a bit of anger boiling just below the surface.

"Look at that guy, Andy.  Before the war he was just some ordinary kid.  He may have done some unsavory things or been controlled by bad people, but I believe that give a chance he can turn his life around.  We need to give people who were something else before all Hell broke loose a chance to get back to normal.

Her eyes narrowed.  "The Hell's Angels are a totally different breed.  They were bad before the war and they haven't gotten any better.  They sell the bodies of youngsters to people like Cyrus.  They kill those who oppose them and don't care if the catch inocents in the crossfire.  It sounds like someone out there is killing women who go to this 'Pigpen'."

"Right now I don't know what the 'Right' way to deal with the Angels will be.  Let's start with this and work our way up.  What do I know is that how we treat Cyrus' people will make or break us in gaining other people's trust.  I also feel that how we deal with the Angels may be very different.  Let's start with this and go from there."

She looked at Andy and smiled.  "I'm open to suggestions right now and I appreciate hearing your thoughts.  You'll be in charge of going after Cyrus, so start thinking about what you're going to do.  Shake down over take down, but don't loose any people.  That sound good to you?"

"Yeah, you know it!"

He looked at Taras.

"Um, I guess you gotta put the bad ones away, you know. Not all of them are bad, eh?"

"Still, you know, they got cool bikes!"

Josh seemed to still be in awe of Taras as most young men would be of a stern Mountie. He seemed to be transferring his trust and desire for friendship and acceptance to Kelsey.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:55, Tue 01 July 2008.

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #75):

In the next room observing the interrogation with Clarke and Andy, Lee convulsed in laughter, covering her mouth with her hand lest the kid in the other room heard her.

"Fuck, Kelsey got me. I'm going to kick her ass. Ha!"

At Andy's suggestion she commented neutrally, "I think Khandola and the RCMP would be against any extra-legal killings. I'd love to bust these scumbags. Still, it's a dangerous place out there, a condition they themselves help perpetuate."

The dinner was coming to an end. Everybody seemed to be more comfortable and relaxed. Shevchenko even tilted the chair back in a swinging movement while clasping hands and rolling thumbs:

All right, then. My good Josh, your information is much appreciated. You are almost about to leave now. I would like to ask you a last question before I say goodbye to you:

Taras leaned over the table while staring at Josh:

What do you think that will happen if we go to Stanley Park, lets say tomorrow, and we try to convince the people to join the new government?

It was a moment to figure out possible reactions for a soft approach. A chance of having a first hand account like that, felt Taras, was well worth a try.

The kid looked relieved that the somewhat stern Taras was favouring him with a friendly tone and he looked eager to please. He frowned, thinking.

"If Cyrus is there? Everyone jumps to defend the park. They think, sorry, they react, then think. We get it drilled into us, middle of the night, daytime. Any time. The last attack got people feeling even more confident."

Shevchenko got what he wanted. The interrogation turned into almost a conversation in friendly terms. Lots of information arrived in one single stroke. The facts were there, not that difficult to corroborate but they didn't talk for themselves lest make some sort of sense. A theory was necessary. A roadmap to be undertaken.

Thank you, Josh. Now you will meet briefly with Kelsey and she will provide you with some mailbox location, possible schedule and maybe some safety point for meeting. In the mean time I will arrange a vehicle with a driver for you. An unmarked one. You'll be dropped somewhere between here and downtown. You'll save the equivalent time that took the chatting. I really hope that we will be able to continue our cooperation. The clock started ticking for the stickmen and the end is near for them. We want a peaceful resolution, bear in mind.

Taras stood up and pulled up his duty belt. He was pleased to the point of giving Josh his pack of smokes and wish him good luck before leaving the room.

Basically stick to this story. You and your partner were sent to spy. The Police catch Sebastien while you escaped. The Marina is a good spot to hit. Not well defended, only one guard at night and there are a couple of good boats to destroy or steal. If they decide to attack, let us know. You can go with them, do not compromise yourself, you'll be protected.

After a wink, Taras left the room giving way to Champlain. Being aware that the rest of the team knew about his intentions he just nodded to Belanger and Clarke and walked towards the land line telephone to communicate with the RCMP/militia operations centre.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #82):

Clarke stopped Taras.  "There's one more thing to ask.  He said that if Cyrus was there they would fight without thinking.  It's been drilled into them.  What if he isn't?  What happens then?  Ask what he thinks of that possiblity.  Also, see if you can get any details on when he goes to the HA club.  Who often, what time of day or night, what route, when was the last time he went."

In reply to Andrea Clarke-Sullivan (msg #83):

The sudden avalanche of questions proposed by the Lt. Cmdr. completely took Taras by surprise. He was tired and willing to finish the interrogation as soon as possible. It was getting late.

Absolutely. No problem. I was about to get the vehicle and driver. It may take a while to arrive. Feel free to proceed with him. He wouldn't mind to answer you.

Shevchenko made an inviting gesture to Clarke inviting her into the room. Josh appeared to be stashing the cigarettes and matches in his pockets.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #84):

"Well done, Taras! Excellent work."

Belanger poured him a cup of tea.

"One thing we can take comfort in, the government did say they were intending on deploying troops to secure the city, coming down from Kamloops and over from the Island. At the end of summer. So we don't have to worry about taking on 300 full-patch HAs by ourselves. As long as we gather enough information to make it easy for them to do the job when they get here."

Night was falling outside, about time for Josh to head back to the park to make his report.

In the room, Josh repeated his instructions to Kelsey. He beamed at her, basking in her approval.

Belanger stuck his head into the room to pass on Clarke's questions. Josh replied, "I dunno, I guess people rely a lot on him for instructions. Maybe some will run for it, the rest? Stand around, I guess. Cyrus goes to Brandis' every week, on Friday. He goes at dusk, on bike with a couple guys. They go up West Georgia, then bear left along, ah, West Pender, then they hang a right on Hornby. Going against the 1-way, I guess."

In reply to helbent4 (msg #85):

Clarke noted the information from Josh.  Kelsey was building a raport with him and she didn't want to interfer with the other woman taking control of the situation. "Very good.  Let Kelsey finish up with Josh and we'll cut him loose.  She trusted Kelsey would set up the information drop and left that to her.

She beamed at Taras. "As Belanger says, excellent work.  Now we need to organize this information and bring other things into play.  Looks like you and I will be sitting down to get this all together, hmm?    There should be some new information coming in from the census as well, correct?  Hope you like spending a little time manning a desk.  It looks like we'll be rotating between field and desk work.  We have to get the intel organized or it's useless to us.  That's going to take some good old fashioned research and organization.  We also need to liase with our subordinates.

She looked at Taras' tired face.  She hated to ask more of him but it seemed there were still things they needed to work on before they called it a night.  "You looked like you had business to attend to when I interrupted you.  My apologies for that.  Why don't you take care of it and I'll fetch us a spot of tea?  If you don't mind, come back and we'll wrap up our intel here for the night over our tea."

Sure thing. Just allow me to give a call and get a ride for the kid. He helped a lot. A wonder how many patrols and probably lives we saved tonight with all this information.

Taras walked down the hall looking for the phone. It wasn't too far away from a missing ashtray. A brief conversation ensured and then he stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before returning with Clarke. The blank slate helped to better picture some thoughts. Maybe a cup of tea would help.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #87):

Clarke had the mugs waiting when he returned.  She had a map laid out for the park and the West End.  She also had her laptop and the tapes of the interview for reveiw and transcription.  "Well, it's Monday, so we have four days to prepare if we want to snatch Cyrus this Friday.  What do you think?"

Kelsey will indeed set it up for him to go back in.. do his report, they go over what he will have "seen"

Anyone have any input exactly what we plan on feeding these people?

I am guessing we will want the next time their leader will be leaving on one of his forrays?

"Well, if we're going to take him down, there are two options, in my opinion, sneaky or overwhelming force. Both have similar preperation, we find somewhre isolated on the route and take him at that point. Doing it sneakily we use snipers and incapacitating grenades, overwhelmingly we use the LAV and as much heavy kit as we can muster, they'll probably surrender rather than face total destruction." Andy began, "I'd favour the overwhelming force as it sends a message to others of our potential combat power. Either way is good for me though and I'm more used to the sneaky way. If Cyrus has good guards however, sneaky is likely to end in fatalities and I'd make sure they were theirs, not ours, overwhelming is our best course for a peacful arrest."

Taras was looking at Andy and his options. Not bad, the fellow has some ideas and initiative.

Here is what I think we can do. We have to exploit his weakness. He and his bodyguards will be riding bikes. Great. What we need is to set up an ambush with explosives. Nothing fragmentary. We just need a nice blast that will be send them to the ground soundly. A nearby ambulance that was dispatched to asses the health and medical conditions of our dear citizens as a part of the IRON program will rush to the rescue and the victims will be offered first aid on site and hospital "on going care" in UBC facilities. Of course we need a security team for the snatch that could be passing by paramedics. I see Georgia St. is wide enough for a non lethal explosion. Nothing too spicy like plastic. I have a good supply of materials that will help. Somewhere in the middle of the route will do indeed. I'm sure is quite unlikely we can have pedestrians on that area at that time and around office buildings.

Shevchenko was trying to mak a mental list of explosives and associated devices that he kept in his quarters.

We are going to need the cooperation of Bulat and the people on the small corner of the Park, the survivalists. And probably mobilize the tank and all heavy staff in order to exploit the victory. Once we move in with full force in the Park the job will get done. We cannot risk capturing Cyrus and have a harcore group of lieutenants making a split and reorganizing another criminal element.

Taras plan contemplated both of worlds. The "sneaky" and the "overpowering". Firstly to gain the upper hand, the second to exploit success and exerpt control over the Park.

Kelsey knows the area.  She should set up a "mailbox" location on the route that Josh would normally travel from the park to the overlook location.  This will be where messages can be left and picked up.  Arrange some location Josh can fall back to if he feels he is in trouble and needs to get out.  Also, if Kelsey can rig up one of her "coke can" listening devices, make sure Josh knows what it will look like so he can pick it up and deposit it in a good location.

Story is simple.  Sebastian told Josh to run tonight.  If at all possible, don't bring it up.  Just pass on notes and leave, no conversation.

Report is that the Marina seems to be a soft target.  Only a few people seen coming and going and a single guard left at night.

Does Taras have anything to add to this?

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #91):

"Taras, Andy, I have to admit I like the way both of you are thinking.  Knocking them down and then offering assistance gets them into custody with no fuss, no muss.  It might also make it easier to deal with their people.  Josh seems pretty sure the people in the park will be confused without leadership."

"We can also put at least one person on the inside to start negotiations, but that is getting a bit ahead of the game.  When we get that far, we will need Bulat on board to bottle up the north end of the park."

"Taras, work with Belanger on the trading aspect.  If the people you are sending in are Native, perhaps Chris can go along so we have our own set of eyes on board.  Andy, put an observation team together.  The more intel we have on this, the better."

"I'll also work with Belanger to get the other intel available to us collated, such as what we have about the survivalists and other trading contacts."  She looked at the faces of her subordinates.  Sound like a plan to you guys?

See Clarke. I've been munching around the idea of creating a dedicated intel unit to work upon all the information that we need and all the information that the HQ in the island will need before they deploy. I believe we need to have a structure and a command. I already talked about this with Belanger and he is willing to give the thumbs up and create a joint task force CF/RCMP. Since you represent the superior rank we decided that is up to you to work on this lines or not. You may need approval of the Command of the DRI but you'll have our support.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #94):

Clarke smiled.  "I'm a Senior Intellegence Officer.  My mission here was to function in that capacity, so approval from DRI won't be necessary."

She looked at Taras a moment.  "Having a talented and competent person to act as Second in Command, to run field operations and liase with other elements would make it a lot easier for me to begin work on what I intended to come here for in the first place.  Interested, Mr. Taras?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:39, Mon 07 July 2008.

In reply to Andrea Clarke-Sullivan (msg #95):

I'll be most honored to help in this endevour to the best of knowledge, Ma'am!

Taras smiled. It finally cam down to senses the fact that the mission was intelligence gathering at its roots. Probably the Belanger discourse on the incoming military deployment helped to make that decision. Taras knew it at took advantage. Right moment to hit. First thing in the morning will be to present a basic lay out of the organic structure and the interaction with the personnel. Then, the missions. All of this while running parallel with the IRON program that was mapping the human landscape of the Lower Mainland, one block at a time. And also the take over the dangerous head of the Stickmen while maintaining good relations with recent allies and recovering from a not so bright start. A challenge that will demand the very best of each and everyone of the members of the team.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #96):

"Thank-you, Taras.  I'm deeply relieved to get the mission back on track.  Andy, there will be some changes in store for you and Kelsey as well.  We will cover that soon.  For tonight, let's wrap up.  All of you need some rest after a job well done and I need a chance to organize myself for tomorrow."

Kelsey will wrap up with Josh and release him.  Taras and Clarke will colate their information as much as possible.  Andy will be released to organize his own recce team for observation and the snatch.  The team will adjorn for the evening.

Belanger nodded.

"A dedicated intel unit would be perfect. We already have the basics."

"I'll have a unit help Josh by sending him on his way with a simple story. We can start feeding Cyrus misinformation immediately."

"I will talk to the Musqueam band about sending some volunteers to trade in the park."

"We should also have a surveillance option set up by tomorrow night."

"As well, I will pick up Shepherd, see if he has anything more to say, and can maybe wrangle us a meeting with the survivalists on Deadman's Island, who are kind of a wild card. I think they will be neutral, but we don't want them reacting offensively to protect their interests and make things... complicated."

"Well, done, sounds like we have some good plans going forward!"

"The census shall proceed tomorrow, finishing Ktisilano (the western areas by UBC) and going into the areas south of the downtown, up to Cambie and City Hall. From False Creek to the Fraser River."

"Clarke, you should consider a more central location for a base of operations. UBC is inconvenient. At some point, the provisional city government will move back into city hall."

"The main police station is down the street from city hall, easy to access both the downtown and the rest of the city. Within the next couple weeks, we should check it out, maybe clean it up. That would make an excellent base of operations, at least in the downtown core."

"The main provincial emergency centre and RCMP command post is also down on Cambie but far to the south, not really convenient to reach the downtown. Still, these facilities are important to keep in mind."

With not a lot of further ado, Josh was sent on his way. So far as the plan was understood, there would be no further intelligence-gathering that night. But in the next few days information would begin to pour in, if all went well.

Making her report to the DRI and VIC (Vancouver Island Command) later that night, Clarke was congratulated on the successful efforts to bring West Van into the fold.

"We will make getting that steam locomotive across Burrarrd Inlet a priority. We have abundant supplies of coal here on the Island to offer if incentive is needed, and that train will be a strategic asset once a rail line through the Rockies is secured. We'll check to see what we can do; I think there is a rail barge docked at Ladysmith but it might take time to put into service. Worse comes to worse it can travel by rail up north and around the long way, but we'd prefer not to have to do that."

Regrefully, she was informed that the possibility of getting any more sophisticated electronics aside from what had already been sent over (the extra radios, digital multi-channel scanner, RDF intercept gear, etc.) would be remote.

When she informed them there was possibly several thousands of litres of kerosine (aviation fuel) that might be salvaged, the tune immediately changed to, "...this changes the picture considerably. That fuel is another strategic priority. With it we might be able to run some limited maritime air patrols! It could well free up a radar unit that could be deployed on Bowen Island for air and maritime surveillance, like you wanted."

Also, VIC had no problems with the proposed promotions for Andy and Kelsey, as well as making formal the joint CF-RCMP command structure by making Sgt. Shevchenko the task force's 2IC.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #99):

Clarke acknowledged receipt of approval for the changes in command for the Task force.  "Thank-you for the approvals.  I feel with these changes things are back on track for my original mission.  We have an operation in the planning stages that should allow us to recover the JP-8.  I will keep you apprised of our progress.

Back at Uni and after a sound sleep Taras met with Clarke for breakfast. A quiet corner by a large window was found more appropiated than the large mess hall where the residents usually gathered. A tray containing a generous carafe filled with fresh brewed coffee and some bakery items were shared under the delightful spectacle of the morning springtime in the West Coast. Shevchenko procured one of the portable Hi-Fi stereos reworked by the electronics workshop and a tape with a recording of the Violin Concerto in E minor by Mendelssohn. Taras would probably had preferred a Tchaikovsky in his Piano Concerto but he found the classic from the german romantic enough to set the mood for the morning briefing. After hearing the news from the Island, Jascha Heifetz and the New York Phillarmonic Orchestra started filled the air with music. The first of many bold structural innovations -the omission of an opening ritornello in which the orchestra announces the main thematic material- enables the soloist to introduce the first subject of the opening movement after only one-and-a-half prefatory bars. In same fashion, Taras started his own lines:

Well, Clarke. In first place I would like to congratulate us for the progress that we are making. I believe that we are in the right track and the HQ in the Island will know how to appreciate our job here. I believe that, in order to achieve an efficient flow of intelligence we have to work at multiple levels and places but all at the same time. I also believe that still to early to be able to set up the operation to capture Cyrus. As I told you before, my idea is basically take over the Park in full force. They stickmen are divided physically and ideologically . A big show of force will save lots of ammunition. But for that we need full cooperation of Bulat and his people, the survivalists and also we have to be able to ready the largest force possible, train, give mobility and finally deploy with guanrantee of success. This is possible to do as we already can count with some help. We also need to confirm the information given by Josh and plant some undercovers in the downtown area. This will take more than 4 days and we will have to wait to confirm the friday's tradition and prepare ourselves.

The barely thirteen minutes of the Allegro molto appasionato were in its mid point when Taras made a point of inflexion upon the impecable precision of the outpouring violin notes:

I want to send McDonald with their own. I want him to live with the people in the reserve for a few days and gather information about the airport, New West and the market in Annacis Island. This can be done in the time lapsus before we strike against Cyrus. Maybe we are going to be able to find more information about that fuel. Seems a very convincing article for the HQ and we still need more insight in the daily life in those areas. I couldn't believe my eyes when Lt. Jagelis failed to make the connexion between the indians and our own indian! The 40th Army in Afghanistan was full of people of similar ethnic background of that of Afghanistan as Uzbeks and Tajiks. And I don't trust the natives too much. McDonald has the judgement of a soldier and he will be able to rely important information at the same time that the military, and hence the Government, congratiates with the indians.

The beginning of the Andante -allegretto non troppo- heralded another suggestion for tasking a member of the team:

We probably won't have time to set a new base by the City Hall by the time we move over the Park. In any case, I will like to have my fellow RCMP member Rachel to contact the RCMP and militia units and implement a block watch program in the limits of the neighbourhood where the census was conducted and make a troughout investigation of any criminal activity registered in the area for the last two weeks. We need to know who is moving around before we make a move. At the same time it will help to recognize possible threats. If they are Hell Angels, common offenders, marauders, bandits, etc.

A sip of coffee helped to clear the throat.

Our sniper will be needed to recce the downtown locations. I don't want him to go alone in an urban environment. We will send then in disguise. Together with Fox and Kelsey and escorted by a couple of RCMP they will be conducting a radiological study as if they were scientists. We will provide three vehicles in total: a police cruiser, a van with supposedly nuclear radiation equipment which in reality will be the radio scanning gadgets of Kelsey and finally and ambulance. Fox and McRae will be our paramedics. They will become familiar enough with the landscape before we jump over Cyrus. The disguise should be not only credible but also somehow welcome by the locals. We are here because we care . Even contact with the undergrounders will be welcome as another way to gather information.

The cadence of the words and the eight minutes of the second movement of the concerto came to a close. By the time the third and final part allegro molto vivace Shechenko was delivering his last comments:

Belanger should contact Sheperd and we'll have to set up a meeting and negotiation with him. While we do this, there is no time to lose and I should go to North Vancouver and talk with the West Van police and Bulat. They will need to gather as much as strength as possible. Initially they would be only tasked with the stickmen guarding the bridge and then make contact with us but I want to make things easy for them. The Stanley Park current situation is a source of trouble for them and they will be willing to help. I'll try to get them prepared and equipped with as much punch as they can. A BMP-2 and a BTR-70 will be a nice argument. This may take some time and probably will need our help. We shall also check the status of the Infantry Fighting Vehicle under repairs in the shop and make a list of vehicles available to move in. If we can pull out this operation, then it will be a great victory. It not only will tip the balance for us but also will show our strength and determination and will also help to unite communities towards a common goal of justice and future.

The silence after the quicksilver finale left an atmosphere inviting for reflexion. Taras had exposed in general lines his plan. He was aware that the situation was a difficult one. So far, the stickmen were striking left and right uncontested and after scoring a propagandistic coup against the military it sure would make any peaceful and diplomatic approach almost impossible. But the innocent people involved were not to be punished because of the tyranny of a bad man. Shevchenko knew about the suffering of his fellow country men and women in the hands of ruthless dictators.

This brought something to his memory and before Clarke could say anything Taras added:

I would rather kill myself that son-of-a-bitch. But we are the Law. The explosive wave will take him down. Maybe it will crack some bones. I prefer him to taste some of his own medicine and live to tell.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #101):

Meeting him for breakfast before heading off to meet Shepherd, Belanger sipped his orange juice, enjoying the music.

"Kelsey... she's your mechanic and electronics tech, right? MacDonald, Chris, he's your medic. (That will help in his community relations with the Musqueam, although they already enjoy the hospital here.) You'll have a couple of real paramedics along with the ambulance there to take care of actual medical issues that are brought to you."

"What can I say? Brilliant, Taras, my boy!" Belanger beamed at him, impressed.

In reply to helbent4 (msg #102):

Clarke smiled as she sipped her coffee and listened to Taras.  "Hearing this I can't help but think of the old saw about like minds," she said.  She straightened in her chair, scanning something on her laptop.  "As Belanger pointed out, MacDonald is the medic, so he'll be with the ambulance team.  Other than that, you plan is pretty well structured."

"I appreciate your congratulations about our 'progress'.  It's more getting back on track, doing what I was supposed to do, than 'progress'.  If it's any comfort, we're actually ahead of schedule.  I wouldn't be here for over a week yet if things hadn't gotten off track."

"I was thinking of having McDonald in contact with the natives as well.  In addition to being our eyes in the situation, he can liaise with the natives, building a relationship with them.  Thus he can fulfill two functions at once."

"Moving to the City Hall is as much a symbolic gesture as a practical move to a more central location.  It might be a good thing for after our first 'victory'.  There is no hurry. It is something that would be a good thing for the moral of the people, a symbol that life really is getting back to normal."

"As for Champlain and MacRae, I've already received approval for their promotions as well.  MacRae will be in charge of his own Recce element, Champlain a communications team.  I think it best to take personnel from both RCMP and militia.  I don't think we can support full time personnel, but part time volunteers can be trained and activated on an as-needed basis."

"Go and visit Bulat. We'll see what we can work out with the Survivalists.  If we can't get their cooperation, at least maybe they won't interfere.  As for Cyrus, we'll get him.  We'll take our time, plan well, and take him down.  We'll separate the wolves from the sheep and deal with each accordingly.  Sound fair to you?"

I think at this point you should call for a briefing with RCMP and militia squad leaders and your troops. Outline the general idea and get them to be prepared for their next assignments. After that you can present the plan to the Council. In a few hours, probably after luch time, get together with the commanders of each part of the plan and go into the small details. Prepare a dossier and file containing the preparations, personal and material needed and questions. Don't forget to ask for suggestions By the time I come back from the North Shore we can have a primary survey of the elements that we have and start working from this direction. Now if you allow me...

Taras will make radio contact from HQ with Bulat or West Vancouver Police announcing his imminent arrival without further comments. He will be back to the Marina with his faithful backpack containing a bottle of vodka, dressed in full uniform and with 2 RCMP officers escorting him, one will be in charge of manning the boat while the other will return the cruiser to UBC grounds after Taras's departure.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #104):

"Very good suggestions, Mr. Taras."  Clarke jotted a few notes as she finished her coffee.  She found a phone and made the necessary calls to get the meetings scheduled.  After this, she made a call to Belanger.  "I think I'm going to need an assistant," she told him.

Before breakfast had settled the meetings were set up, she had appointments with a couple of candidates via Belanger, and she was ready to organize the materials she'd need for the meetings later that day.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:57, Fri 11 July 2008.

Kelsey will of course do her best to "make it so"