"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.