Morning came fast. Springtime in Vancouver could be a blessing. The proximity of the Pacific Ocean could be felt in the fresh salty breeze. After the daily routine of toiletry and breakfast, the briefing was religiously followed. Chaired by the Lt. Cmdr. Clarke and Sgt. Shevchenko it was straight to the point:

Morning, Ladies and Gentlemen! Without much ado about yesterday operations will follow on with todays task: Our main concern for now is to increase our intelligence on our more direct targets: The Stickmen and the Hell's Angels. We need updated information from our mole about the current status of the people in Stanley Park. Kelsey? I believe you still handling the contact. We need also to get in touch with the survivalists for a closer look. We might as well connect with the Undergrounders to feel their pulse. I don't see a need to keep much pressure around Brandie's but I would like to keep Andy around. Yesterdays performance was fantastic! Congratulations!

The Sgt. threw a broad smile and a light clapping towards the infiltrated man. The nerves of steel needed to conduct such feat was remarkable.

I'm going to review RCMP patrol reports and also Block Watch programs to see the level of activity registrered throughout the city and shift men and vehicles wherever may needed most. A good watch of the radio spectrum must be kept at all times. I will suggest to Command to increase the level of personnel and means to that task if possible.

The eyes were on Kelsey. The eavesdropping program was giving tremendous leverage to the team. The potential increase would transform the trainees in a full fledge support unit and promotion would not be far away.

In other news, we have to keep on working on our contacts. Captain Bezhov arrived yesterday to North Vancouver with a vehicle and reduced crew from Bella Coola. He is willing to work with us. I'll be meeting him and together with Bulat we will increase our chances to have a positive impact in New Westminster with that stranded nuclear sub.

Taras was airing pretty much tasks for the team members without much detail. So far the layout for the day seemed to be focus on intel gathering and continuing the lines of duty previously set.

Training of the militia will continue as usual. Maintenance of vehicles and weaponry is a must. The current success of our operations is a great oportunity to report to HQ in the Island about any implement that we may need. I recommend to take a look at what's stored in the trailer of the LAV III. For future references we are looking at the possibility of an attack from the Stickmen and Emergency Response calls fron high risk targets as we got before. 

Taras sat on the edge of the table presiding the meeting room. He covered his eyes with his hand and swept his orange crop of hair backwards:

I didn't slept very well last night...anyways. I will consult with Ms. Kwan about the possibility to activate a climate report team to forecast the weather. Together with the information that we get from the biologist working along the Fraser river we should wide the scope of our intel. I'm trying to create, or better said, transform our job in a more especialize intel unit. It is time to start giving more field responsabilities to the new force and take for us a more dedicated scope rather than the crime fighting at street level. Our skills will still needed but in a more surgical way. Feel free to comment.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:55, Thu 30 July 2009.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #1):

Rachel had gotten up early, trying to be quiet so as not to wake anyone up. The day was gorgeous and warm, the blue sky was cloudless.

Taking a bike, she pedaled out to where she'd been meeting with Josh, and received his briefing. Wasting little time, she pedalled back to the University to brief Belanger and Khandola, then the team at the morning briefing.

"I have some news... according to Cyrus, it's dry enough to go on his "Little Dresden" fire bombing mission on us here at UBC and the Marina. The plan is for forty warriors to go the day after tomorrow night, Thursday, and infiltrate the UBC perimeter via the water. They will set fires inland just before dawn, then let the westerly breeze carry the flames inland. A dozen other warriors will firebomb the Marina at the same time. Cyrus will command the bigger team, his 2nd in command Yasmin will take the smaller group. The have signals worked out, routes of infiltration, rally points, communications via runner."

"Tonight he's going to visit Brandie's and doesn't expect to be back until dawn. Tomorrow is a dry run of sorts, although apparently Yasmin's been scouting out our defenses and thinks she knows the major holes. Maybe she's right, we haven't had any reports of Stickmen reconnaissance anywhere in the city other than Stanley Park."

She had taken some time to change into her crisp patrol uniform, and yellow-banded hat was on the table in front of her.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:06, Fri 31 July 2009.

0800 Hours Lima, Tuesday, 17 April 2001
15C, sunny and clear, some wind.

The day was turning out to be gloriously sunny and warm. The hard driving rain and thunderstorms of the last week was fading into memory.

Kelsey went over the comms and surveillance reports, there was nothing unusual to relate, other than business had been quieter than usual at the club. A van had been parked overnight and left early in the morning. It was probably still somewhere in the densely built up East End, as it didn't pass through the checkpoints east or south of the downtown.

Keeping contact with the mole in the Stickmen was Rachel's job, and she'd left to do that early in the morning, right after her jog in the pre-dawn light, a run she invited Kelsey to share (but she assured her friend she wouldn't be upset if she declined).

Fox, Tyler and Rob attended the briefing as well. Tyler seemed a little withdrawn, as if wondering what his continuing role would be. After the briefing, he had a meeting scheduled with Dr. Chandra to arrange for medical care for his niece. Rob, uncommunicative at the best of time, sat back and observed, waiting for his part of the plan to be explained.

Belanger listened to Taras and Lee.

"Thank you, Corporal."

"Well, looks like tonight or tomorrow is when we're going to have to go in and take them down. It would be nice to have better intel, but that's the way it goes if we want to take the initiative."

"Taras, I would like you to draw up an operational plan for Commander Clarke and my approval. We'll devote what resources you need to make it happen, all you have to do is ask."

He sipped some tea and read his files, the took off his glasses and looked up.

"As for future operations, the clash in Chinatown and yesterday's sweep convinced me that while the RCMP Auxiliaries and Militia are shaping up here, they are not ready to take on some of the most critical duties. I want this unit to remain as a fire brigade for the most crucial missions no one else can handle, but rest assured daily patrolling won't need to be part of your duties. I think we're on the same page, here, correct?"

"As for the daily intel reports, those are coming in through the unit we set up with your help, and I'll be glad to give you further details. Better meteorlogical data would be an asset, it would be a definite advantage to not only know about these things before assholes like Cyrus, but get a better handle on changes in the weather and climate since the war."

Sgt. Fox was dressed in his CF Combats and red beret, boots shined and otherwise unarmed.

He grinned at Lee's news of Cyrus planning to make his news. "Fu.. freakin' right on! About time that punk gets what's coming to him. The LAV is ready to go, and the militia's been drilling the last couple weeks to get ready for this. Let's do it!"

Kelsey actually has been running most of her adult life, and lifting weights, to keep in shape, and the idea of a morning run with a friend actually sounded wonderful to her.  She'd have shown up to the meeting with a healthy glow and a feeling of well being from the exercise.
"We going to go ahead and take him down while at Brandies?  That might involved the bikers sooner than we want.  Then again, the other choice is to repel the invasion at the shore line, though surprise might we well and good on our side.  If we position the machine guns well, we can chase them off fast.  Do we break into three units, one taking apart the park, and two meeting the assault?  Sounds to me like if we chop off the head of this snake it is more like a hydra, and more heads will pop up, like that second in command."

In reply to Kelsey Sarah Champlain (msg #6):

"The government would like to avoid causing casualties, if we can help it. We not only want to show that we are possess a legal and moral authority, but capable of showing restraint. Repelling the raid could be done with minimal injury, if we were sure they would surrender once we (say) hit them with spotlights and a few warning bursts. If they don't surrender it would likely to be a massacre for the Stickmen, which would help solve our problems, true, but be easy to spin as heavy-handedness."

"However, we think there is a greater chance we can get the Stickmen to surrender is to capture Cyrus alive, away from their territory. The best would be en route to Brandie's in the evening, or on the return trip in the morning as we know his usual route. I'd suggest the evening because you know approximately when he's going to come by (around dusk) but the morning is more of a crap shoot, although he's more likely to be hung over."
This message was last edited by the player at 08:59, Sun 02 Aug 2009.

Shevchenko was more than happy to hear the news about the impending attack the Stickmen were preparing. Not only out of their natural environment but dead on the water is where half of their numbers and leadership will be ending their numbered days. The pay-offs of having not only good intel but also the ability to provide deception will be turning the tide this time.

I will be working on that plan, Belanger. So far, the only thing that I can ask for is to keep a high state of readiness of our troops, vehicles and weapons. I'll be going to the North Shore to meet Capt. Bezhov but I will be back shortly. By the end of the day it should be ready.

It will be a defensive plan.

The Soviet Army looks at defense as a temporary expedient, to be employed locally, while on the offensive elsewhere or while consolidating an objective. The echelon concept is used the same way as with the offensive doctrine. Taras was curious about the decision of Belanger to give him free reign for the elaboration of the plan. Red Army tactics were quite rigid in general and almost despised by NATO Commanders. In any case it could be a good oportunity for advancement...

In the Soviet books are reflected hasty, mobile and area defense chapters. The hasty defense is obviously set up in a rapid basis (not unlike this situation as the impending attack was only a day or so away). It makes use of a large reserve to crush any enemy penetration and is focused around antitank weaponry, not unlike US or Western doctrine. The difference in this case is that there will be no armor to face but the defense will be pillared around the heavy weapons at his disposal. The principle of kill zones for armor would be translated to the water and even the possibility of being bypassed too as the Reds use the all-around defense concept. The first echelon will set up the kill zones. The second echelon will have the main counterattack force in numbers. The main weakness in this is that of the forces massing for the counterattack. They are ideal targets for nuclear weapons - most unlikely... he chuckled - or any other heavy artillery or aerial strike unavailable to his foe.

Taras realized that a more formal,deliberate defense was not possible due to time and size of the forces. A main defensive belt with battalion strongpoints on likely avenues of approach in two echelons was beyond a dream. He will have to manage with company size bits and pieces in place for the main defense to weaken the enemy early in the battle.

Usually in his 62nd Motor Rifle Division at least a tank regiment was retained in the second echelon just for the purpose of counterattack. Tanks were playing a decisive role but this was to be above battalion level. Instead, he will be dealing with lightly armed RCMP and militia foot soldiers. But then again, the enemy will be equipped with even more primitive means of warfare.

With those thoughts, the ex lt. packed for North Vancouver. The weather had vastly improved and he expected a smooth sailing across the English Bay, away from the treacherous shores of Stanley Park.

He was going to visit an old friend.

In reply to Taras Vladimirovich Shevchenko (msg #8):

"To clarify, we are finally taking the initiative against Cyrus. We finally have the opportunity we have been waiting for. Once Cyrus is in our hands tonight or tomorrow, we'll go into the park in force, as planned."

"We don't want to let the Stickmen get their chance to launch their attack. We want to have them taken care of and the park in our control by this time tomorrow."

"Option one: take Cyrus on the way to Brandie's. Option two: take him on the way back. Then the assault goes in. We also need to evacuate the Survivalists on Deadman's Island."

He looked around. "Anyone have any questions?"

The team had until noon to do what they liked, get some sleep, check their weapons. Taras took off for the North Shore to personally brief Bulat and his newly-arrived friend, Captain Vitaly m. Bezhov.

After that time, things would go into overdrive, using the plans that had already been prepared for this opportunity.

1200 hours

After Taras returned at noon, Inspector Khandola called the DRI team together for a planning session on the upcoming vital operation. Chariperson Kwan was there, as well as Provost Belanger.

They were meeting in the common-room of Ritsumeikan house. The mats for exercise and entertaining were replaced by tables, chairs, white boards and an overhead projector. There was even a Mac personal computer, hooked into the university's network.

Khandola began. "So far, we have established in principle the objectives and methods of the operation. We," he indicated the UBC VIPs, "have agreed that we shall attempt to capture the gang leader, Cyrus."

"Once this is accomplished, a two-pronged assault will take place to secure the park, one from the city and another over the Lion's Gate Bridge. The main areas are the security outposts along the perimeter of the park, Cyrus' HQ area, and Brockton Oval, where the non-combatant population seems to be held."

"Additional important objectives include evacuating the population from Deadman's Island, prior to operations."

He nodded to Rob, acknowledging his concerns.

"As well, we understand there is a source of fuel located at or near the old park headquarters and police station, which is also Cyrus' HQ. Securing this will be of immense aid in recovery operations."

"Now, we wish to take this Cyrus fellow alive and preferably unharmed, so that charges may be brought against him and he stands trial. We also wish to minimise casualties, both on our side and with the Stickmen, but the weight is on preventing friendly and non-combatant casualties. The media will be present, and the value of this operation could be degraded if it's perceived that we used machinge guns to butcher "practically naked" neo-savages armed only with sticks and bows. We all know they are very much an effective force, but we are setting the stage for the eventual return of control to the Lower Mainland."

"Dealing with Cyrus... we know he's going to the Hells Angels club downtown. It's believed that intercepting him on his way there will mean we will be attempting to operate at night. While we've had some practice, there are over 400 personnel assigned to this operation and night conditions will greatly complicate this. Therefore, we will either wait until he habitually departs sometime before dawn and then launch the assault when he is in custody, or (worst case) if he stays late cordon off Brandie's and do not allow him or anyone to depart. We can then negotiate with the HAs for his release in exchange for guarantees this is not a raid on the club itself, as we believe he is not considered a high-value ally of theirs and (thanks to Master McRae) we have planted the idea they are not our main quarry."

"That said, our resources are as follows. There are 25 trained RCMP in the detachment here, 12 of which comprise our ERT. We have 100 Auxiliary RCMP, organised into 5 watches. There are 200 UBC Militia. West Van has a cadre of 12 trained "armed contractors" (former Soviet soldiers with a BTR-70, BMP-2 and now some more vehicles), plus 20 trained police and another 100 militia. As well, the train master, Rod McArthur, his 50 odd trained security and train personnel, many of whom are former military. They apparently have 2 armoured vehicles, a pair of wheeled Grizzly APCs that were mounted on rail cars and have apparently been made road-worthy. Those vehicles and forces are not as of yet integrated into the West Van forces, and there are no plans to do so at this time."

Kelsey recalled that the former CF soldier in charge of MacArthur's security detail was a friend of hers, a Sergeant David Urry. She also knew the Grizzlies were old 6x6 MOWAG Piranha Is (armed with a paired M2HB/MAG-58 MGS mounted in a 1-man turret taken from the USMC's LVT-7) were something of a fore-runner to the 8x8 LAV-25 and LAV-III. They were purchased as a cost-cutting measure for militia use, so the reservists could train on armoured vehicles without having to buy additional M113s. Likewise, the 6x6 Cougar (armed with a low-pressure 76mm cannon of the British Scmitar) had been used as a "simulated tank trainer" and general fire support vehicle. Surprisingly, the top-heavy quasi-training vehicles had performed in Peacekeeping roles adequately enough, once some modifications had been made. The 6x6 Piranha family had been so successful several versions of the larger 8x8 design had been sold to the USMC and Canadian Forces. They were shorter and smaller than the 8x8 hulls, lacking the forth axle and advanced electronics.

"Generally, the plan is to deploy the UBC militia and RCMP Auxiliary in the downtown. From there, they will assault the park from the West End, going up the west side from Pacific and east side from Georgia. A separate detachment will prepare to cordon off Brandie's if Cyrus oversleeps! Another detachment will evacuate Deadman's island. Your unit, assisted by part of the UBC RCMP detachment, will arrest Cyrus, and then be held in reserve. The ERT will be stationed near the water at the base of the Burrard St. Bridge, with both land and water transport avaialable. From there, they can deploy either by land transport or be inserted almost anywhere in the park by water (except the cliff areas on the western shore)."

"From the north, the combined forces under the West Van police will take the southern approach of the bridge, which extensive reconnaissance has determined is defended and blockaded, but not trapped with explosives. From there, they will fan out and secure their objectives, primarily the civilian housing at Brockton Oval and Malkin Bowl. There are boats available for a water insertion but currently no plans for this, either."

"Supporting them will be our friends under Ed, who will seize Brockton Oval and make sure the Aquarium is clear. MacArthur's private security forces will be kept in reserve."

Khandola looked at Lt. Commander Clarke. "Commander, please accept my apologies. As this is primarily a police operation, and the military forces are operating in support of the civil power, we would prefer Sgt. Shevchenko be in operational command of the DRI unit. He will be brevetted to Staff Sergeant for the purpose of command. You are not being asked to step down by any means, but for the mean time we believe your capacity should be more "advisory" and not to exercise operational command. Is this acceptable? This is absolutely not personal, and no comment on your abilities whatsoever."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:24, Sat 08 Aug 2009.

"Sir," Andy said respectfully, "I'd strongly reccomend very circumspect use of the media in this mission. It's a major undertaking with the co-ordination of our forces and three allied but different forces, all of whom we have limits on restraining. this first mission is almost certainly going to be chaotic and we may well have to deal with a major incident. It is my opinion that doing all of that under the glare of the cameras would be asking for trouble."

He shifted uncomfortably, he understood the need to minimise enemy casualties and keep this a law enforcement operation but the number of variables they were playing with was astounding, "May I suggest we decline media access to the operation itself and set up the opportunity for them to do some talking head human interest stories with the victims of the Stickmen. then, after the event, the media can have access to eye witnesses and we can sanitise anything that goes out."

I agree...We are walking a thin line between military and police actions. I have serious doubts myself as well...We are basically doing a show of force holding a few good cards up the sleeve. Hopefully the capture of their leader will help. I'm counting with our contact, Josh, to convince them cooperate.

Kelsey clears her throat and speaks up
"Sir, I know Grizzlies, and MacArthur's security chief.  Grizz's are like prototypes for the LAV 25, and if they are still armed the same they are mounted with a fifty and a seven six two coax in an armored turret.  It's not a bad little ride for anti personnel, but not with the fancy electronics of the bigger newer cousins.  David Urry is the name of that security chief, and an old buddy of mine, if you want me to liason with them.  I bet they could be of some use, deployed correctly"

She looks between the men talking about police and military, shrugs slightly.

"As far as I am concerned this is a military action, this man is a leader of a paramilitary force within our borders that does not recognize our sovereign authority.  Since this nation is still recovering from a war, what he is doing is likely high treason, and at the least he should be considered an enemy combatant or rebel leader."  She pauses, looking around.  "He has attacked and wounded sovereign Canadian forces, he holds a grip on our sovereign land, he blocks trade.  This is not something the police would normally be involved in, but something that is the right of the military to clear, this man is far beyond a criminal, he is an aggressive foreign power with a choke hold on our territory, and I see no reason to offer him any quarter."
She takes a seat, still a little charged up with speaking her mind.

Rob stands once Champlain sits.

"This is a military action no matter what you label it. It's strategy, implementation and goals are all military in nature. Tyeing our hands with the notion of a police style raid will only complicate matters and lower our chance of success. I am not saying to use brute force and overwhelming firepower to deal with this threat but I think doing everything we can, to include reasonable force, should be done to ensure success.

As far as the media is concerned, I would hope that you have a good control on it and coverage only starts once Cyrus is in hand and we start trying to convince the stickies to surrender. To start coverage before then could be more of a black eye then a gain."

Rob paused for just a second to let folks consider the implications

"For us survivalists, just getting out of our gate is an issue. We have sticky guards posted just beyond the bridge leading out. As soon as we start to move they will know it and we might be engaged. Silencing those guards is the fastest and safest way of dealing with them before they can raise an alarm or cause casualties. Is that acceptable or is that beyond the police scope of things?"

Rob sits back down and waits for a response.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:59, Wed 12 Aug 2009.

Kwan looked non-plussed with the way the conversation was going, but tried to be understanding.

"To my understanding, military operations are associated with causing maximum damage and casualties, but I hope this won't be the case, and the plans that we've drawn up avoids that. This is still a police operation, and the police will be taking the lead role."

"We're not going to kill Cyrus but bring him and his followers to justice with minimal loss of life and damage to property, which is, after all, our property."

She smiled and added, "I can handle the media. We can't, and won't shut them out. Tney are nominally government-sponsored anyways, and they've been very cooperative. I think I can convince Samantha not to go in with the initial force but we have to give them something worthwhile or we'll lose that goodwill and have to work to get it back."

"So please, don't worry so much about the media. They're on our side and we can reasonably keep them out of the critical areas for their own safety. We have nothing to hide, and we want to move away from military control and thinking about things in a military way to a more civilian and police mode. I'm not rebuking anyone, just making sure we're on the right page."

Her tone was conciliatory, and hopeful.

"Look, we have a good plan here. It will go a very long way to accomplishing our objectives with minimal loss of life and damage on all sides. Not just for the present, but in the future. You've all done great work in getting prepared, so I'm confident it'll all go fine."
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:25, Thu 13 Aug 2009.

"Well, Angela, if you're convinced you can rein in the media, such as it is, then we don't seem to have a lot to discuss on that score."

"We've prepared a pre-trial and holding area at Thunderbird Stadium, capable of holding several hundred detainees, plus transport to get them there. It should be suitable for now to separate the sheep from the wolves."

"If Cyrus doesn't cooperate and doesn't come out of his territory tonight for us to grab, then we can take him and his people out when they attack. This would be the "fall-back" plan, not media-friendly at all (we'd butcher them) but effective. There is already a contingency plan for this. I won't bore you with the details, but any hostiles attacking from the water won't get 500m from the shore."

"Taras, your idea for having our units in the downtown as part of an immunization and STD clinic is good, and we can use your idea of a small explosive/distraction device to stun Cyrus and his people on the way back from Brandie's."

"Anyone have anything else to add?"

"Well then...Is time to make the arrangements for the capture of Cyrus. The distraction of the Hell's Angels is an integral part of the plan. We want to make sure that they will not interfere. We shall deploy our "medical team". With the excuse of a wild spreading of a disease we will set up a mobile hospital that will keep the bikers busy while we proceed in the Park."

Taras looked for Andy in the room.

"Andy, you'll go and visit again "Brandie's" by the time the "medical team" reaches downtown and enquires the guards at the bar. You'll be supportive in any case. Our "nurses" probably will "find" something on you to be more convincing. It will not surprise me if they have some people sick already due to their filthy business, anyways."

Then it was the turn the capture group:

We need a detailed plan for the arrest of Cyrus. I'd like to hear from our SWAT team expert Rachel first. What do you recommend?"

"One of the things that the HAs want to know is our force complement and it's order of battle," Andy said, "I stalled last night because I wanted to consult with you on what we tell them. It damn broke my cover, I can tell you but they bought the "it's not totally clear and I don't want to report to you till I can give you the big picture" line, but it won't work again. What do you think I should tell them?"

The Soviet armed forces learned to preserve in deep secret the intentions to execute disinformation on a large scale to defeat the Huns. Operation Bagration is a good example of what we call Maskirovka. This also goes down to the tactical level and includes all measures, active and passive to deceive the enemy. Here in the West is usually translated as "camouflage" but this is not entirely correct. It has a much more broad meaning. It certainly includes skrytie or concealment but also using decoys and dummies or imitasiia, maneuvers intended to deceive what we say demonstratinvnye manevry and finally dezinformatsiia

Taras was explaining the depth of concept of the deception in war lessons obtained by the Soviet forces at a great cost of life in WW2 and forever attached to the offical doctrine of the Red Army since then. Although a product of the Soviet era , maskirovka has a long history that could be traced back to the times of the Imperial Russian Army and even back to the days of Dimitry Donskoy Battle of Kulikova Field in 1380.

Is going to be virtually impossible to conceal our intentions to take over the enemies of the peace and restore the good living in Vancouver. However, we can mask the scale, timing and direction. If the Hell's Angels are expecting us they will be more receptive to false indicators, especially if their intelligence is inefficient or at least not as well developped as it should be. We have been already doing that. Secrecy of force is vital and as such we cannot afford to give precise numbers to the bikers. I suggest you provide information less a twenty per cent of our real strenght. This will give us a wide margin for maneuver. But also you must spread the rumour that large number of troops are coming from the Island. This will prevent them from thinking about attack us due to the perceived superiority.

Regardless of its form, the enviromental or organizational aspects affecting it, maskirovka is governed by four major principles: activity, plausability, variety and continuity. The first of this: activnost states that offensive action is necessary  to degrade the enemy's observation capability: his ability to locate and identify troop concentrations, and key weapons systems by the concerted use of electronic warfare, dummies and good camouflage and concealment.

Offensive is mandatory and surprise is our best advantage. Once the takeover in Staley Park is complete we will move towards the airport and New Westminster. This is a "flanking" maneuver. The Hell's Angels confrontation will be avoided but we will be winning control of territory and practising area denial. We will gaining allies to close in and will be further working in the infiltration of their ranks.

This was Shevchenko's overall strategy against the "main enemy". In such strategy, maskirovka was playing an important role.

Andy, the false information that you will feed to them must be easy to sustain. When you told them that the Government forces are not interested in start a fight with them we already won leverage. We were able to turn to our side the Chinatown incident and hopefully the capture of the Stickmen will not necessarily start a major confrontation due to the intel that we have about the strategic value of Cyrus for them. This evening just drop by and report about our supposed size. Later on there will be the medical team arriving and you should be able to convince them to go for a medical check the next morning. We will set up a mobile hospital nearby the City Hall. The timing will coincide with the operation in the park and they will be out of the picture for our own security. By the time we consolidate it will be a fait accompli that they will have to deal with. In any case they will be grateful for our services!
This message was last edited by the player at 18:39, Mon 24 Aug 2009.

Waiting for a chance to answer, Rachel smiled as she listened to Taras Speak. Listening to him, she could tell he was a very intelligent person, able to apply and adapt concepts to different situations.

"If I may, the grab is going to be a little complicated, and of course we're making this up as we go along. Ah, we're going to wait until morning and grab him on the way back. We know his usual route, we have an idea of the timing."

She thought for a second.

"Basically, we have the snatch team. Another group to provide a perimeter to prevent him from getting away and to provide warning of his approach. The third element is a medical team to distract the HAs."

"Let's pick a spot on his route, which is mostly along West Pender and then West Georgia. When it gets to West Georgia it'll be too wide, I suggest somewhere along West Pender, somewhere by Burrard or Thurlow. We set up the explosive device, have an ambulance nearby for "assistance", parked around the corner or a parkade. The main team (us) with the LAV III and a couple 4-wheel ATVs to make sure he doesn't get away. We have a couple stunbag rounds available to use if anyone makes a run for it."

"The perimeter team will be, ah, 20 personnel (RCMP and Auxiliaries). I'll command that element, and I'd like Andy and Rob to be in overwatch. They'll be our lookouts. Once the signal is given, they'll seal off the street, secure it."

"Regarding the last element, we'll get the word out today there will be a clinic tomorrow. I suggest Yaletown, it's close to the Main St. Police station, it's in the area we cleared yesterday, so it makes sense."

She looked to see if that was acceptable.

"So, if Cyrus is late coming out of Brandie's, and time is wasting, I suggest we just move the perimeter in and seal off the club. Then negotiate for his release. We have a lot of cards and I don't think the Angels will go to the wall to protect that freak."

This was somewhat uncharted territory for them. The uncomforatble interface between military operations and policing.

At a look from Belanger, Angela added (somewhat uncomfortably), "I understand that this is not a "peacetime" situation, much as we hope it will become one, soon."

"So... while we want to preserve live, even a criminal like Cyrus', if he doesn't surrender to use appropriate force. The Rules of Engagement do allow the use of deadly force to protect your lives. Ultimately, your lives are important and valuable."

Before the meeting, Kelsey had been given some information to pass along. In the heavily built up West End that was sandwiched between the park and the downtown where the club was located, they had intermittently picked up some weak FM radio signals. Too faint or distorted to identify, understand or locate, it was likely that someone was using hand-held radios, even something as weak as a baby monitor. They thought there were civilians remaining in the dense concentration of high-rise apartments, and it was possible they were using radios to communicate locally.

Kelsey wishes the team, and with more care, her friend Rachael, the best on the op.  Of course she intends to oversee the net on it regardless.  She gets together some stuff, and if she can come close to triangulating the source of the transmissions she will use a directional antennae, of if need...

"OK, heads up team, I want to go in as soon as possible to investigate some weak transmissions, if need, I am starting with some directional arrays, but I may need to use a vehicle and a portable.  This could be valuable intelligence, and it is near our scene, I believe"

Winning the upper hand of the invisible electromagnetic spectrum was a mandatory task. Being able to monitor the frequencies will translate into a precious amount of intelligence and the possibility to anticipate the enemy's intentions and moves. Even small signals shouldn't go unchecked:

Kelsey, if you are willing to get a hold of those transmissions, I suggest to take advantage of the previous clearing of the Harbour Centre building and get your aerials up there. Then there is the possibility of getting into a bigger instalation in the North Shore. Currently that territory is under Government control. Geographically speaking it offers the best commanding heights but powerful equipment will be needed and also set up a decent electric grid.

Kelsey gets up and checks the map, pointing out the general area of the transmissions, or at least where she thinks they might be, and then the harbor center

"Let's see... if I get the real gear up there.. with a generator..." She pulls out a calculator, refers to some charts, getting into the real mumbo jumbo and math of a radio expert.