Report #3270, Transcript Section #23
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998 Shane Ivey

Keeper:
The night passes slowly, though nobody sleeps very well. Even with the fatigue that has crept into everyone, or perhaps because of it, sleep is fitful and uneasy for all of you, and you wake up feeling not very refreshed after all.

Keeper:
"Mark" and "Michael" have no replies from their case officer in their e-mail when they check.

Keeper:
Borrow, did you stay in the safe-house with the crew overnight?

Borrow:
Yeah, I did spend the night, as long as a toothbrush was provided.

Keeper:
There's a spare toothbrush, yeah.

Keeper:
None of that Chinese Rat Brandy that Alphonse mentioned, though.

Borrow:
Ok. Any dreams we had?

Keeper:
Nothing that stood out.

Borrow:
Right.

Keeper:
Rogers, as I was saying, morning comes without any reply from Osborne. It's now June 5. The weather is hazier than yesterday and slightly overcast, muggy and very hot.

Keeper:
What's the first order of business?

Rogers:
Well we need to get everything together we are going to need for todays fun and games.

Keeper:
Like what?

Borrow:
Hmm.

Borrow:
I'm supposing that I'll have my sidearm, right?

Keeper:
Yes

Rogers:
"Well we need to ensure that, we have nothing linking us to this address, or any other stuff which contradicts our cover ID's"

Rogers:
"as well as the usual kit for one of these operations."

Rogers whispers to

Keeper:

guns, lock picking equipment, vests etc

Rogers whispers to

Keeper:

gloves of course ;-)

Rogers:
where's Maddux?

Keeper:
Kelley's just come in from a shift covering Daniels while Maddux slept. He looks red-eyed. "Are we planning on an official-looking law enforcement search, or something covert?"

Rogers:
"Covert under the cover of an official search."

Keeper:
He nods. "I bet they won't put up a fight, then. "

Rogers:
"so we need to look like law enforcement or even bomb squad officers."

Lundquist:
Yeah, it heard me...

Keeper:
"Yeah. We already have DOJ identification. I'll need to stay in cover as Army, though, since the cops already have me on file with that."

Rogers:
"No they will be falling over themseles to get out."

Borrow:
When we search the building, will we be putting small cameras or bugs into position?

Keeper:
When Lundquist rises, Rogers and Dee/Kelley and Borrow are discussing a raid of Breckenridge.

Keeper:
Kelley looks a little red-eyed from just finishing a shift covering Daniels while Maddux slept for a couple of hours.

Keeper:
It's another summer day in New York. This one is more overcast than yesterday, and hazier, but muggy and hot.

Keeper:
You have no email from Osborne.

Lundquist:
Good.

Keeper:
Kelley says, "Good question, Borrow. Morning, Lundquist. How's the head?"

Rogers:
"We can do but they'l find 'em soon enough."

Lundquist:
"My head's killing me." I grab some Tylenol.

Keeper:
Kelley nods. He looks at Borrow and Rogers. "Yeah, they might find bugs pretty quickly. We might learn something from it anyway, though. Just depends if it's worth the trouble."

Rogers:
"Hey Danforth, you got any bugs that can be shut down and then activated on a timer or anythin, possibly we can defat their first counter inteliigence sweep?"

Keeper:
He nods. "A timer would be easy. Remote control would work, but we'd have to be close."

Lundquist:
"Could we rig it for both?"

Keeper:
"Sure. Give me a couple of hours to set a couple up."

Lundquist:
"Use the remote, if we can. If not, have it activate after, say, 36 hours or so."

Rogers:
"We could do it if we had a legitimate search after we interrogate the guy in the hospital, go for both timers then we go in and activate the second wave as it were."

Borrow:
"How far does the remote reach? I'd hate to have to enter their territory every time we wanted to switch it."

Keeper:
Danforth says, "We'd need to be within a block or two. A hundred yards."

Borrow:
"That's not too bad. Or too dangerous."

Keeper:
"Sure. Heart of Manhattan, we could be anywhere and get that close."

Keeper:
Kelley says, "Sounds good to me. Do we have a warrant lined up?"

Lundquist:
"I got an idea. Why not say that they guy in the hospital regained consciousness for a while and that we interviewed him? Tell a judge that he gave up all kinds of stuff about Breckenridge, and that we need to go in and tear the place apart."

Keeper:
Kelley grins. "We have a friend in the Marshals guarding him, right?"

Lundquist:
"We can also say that we're keeping a cover story in place that he's still in a coma, so that Breckenridge doesn't realize we've been able to speak to him."

Lundquist:
"Yeah, the Marsall on guard is a friend."

Keeper:
"So what's the plan? Go sit with Coma for a few minutes and come out saying he talked?"

Borrow:
"Yeah. Do we have him registered under his name, or another?"

Rogers:
"I like the idea of him staying in a coma even when he's out but it's risky they know what he knows and the likelyhood of him talking. I think we'd best interrogate him before we make any moves involving fake info from him."

Borrow:
"Switching names after we say we talked to him might make it sound more reliable? Like he wanted protection in exchange?"

Borrow:
Borrow nods to Rogers. "That is the safer method."

Rogers:
"Besides I like the idea of shaking them up big time, if we go in with a warrent they'll have time to move stuff, this way we knock them cold."

Keeper:
Kelley says, "We don't know when this guy will come out of it, though."

Lundquist:
"I don't know... This way we could go into Breckenridge right now, and dig through everything, without having to wait for coma-lad to wake up."

Keeper:
Danforth says, "The longer we wait, the more they'll know to move stuff out. If we want to bust the place up, the sooner the better."

Rogers:
"OK so shall we assume that the coma plan is our backup and that we are going ahead with todays operation?"

Lundquist:
"Well, it seems like the question then is do we go in without a warrant under the cover of a bomb scare story, or with a warrant under the cover of a fake interview with coma-guy. Either way, we do it ASAP."

Rogers:
"Bomb-scare, we'l have no one on our backs as we look round."

Borrow:
"I think the bomb scare would be a quicker way if we want to get it done."

Rogers:
"Don't we have a warrent already?"

Rogers:
"Lets do the bomb scare and then give them a few hours then go in with the warrent."

Borrow:
Borrow nods. "Well, what have we decided to go with? I'm eager for alittle searching myself. Oh, and I'll need a palm camera. Might find some paperwork to photo quickly..."

Lundquist:
"Okay, let's do this bomb scare thing then. Rogers, you want to take the lead on it?"

Keeper:
Kelley nods. "We have some good cameras. Take your pick if you can use them. Maddux and I have a hard time with Polaroids."

Rogers:
"I think we just need to get going and stick together while we're in there..."

Lundquist:
"Sounds good to me."

Borrow:
Borrow grins. "Didn't say I could use them. Just said I might be able to, I'd think someone else would rather photo."

Rogers:
"... I'll see if I can rustle up a convincing contact to phone in the bomb scare."

Borrow:
Borrow nods. "Yeah, sticking together is good."

Keeper:
Kelley says, "So what's our cover while the scare is going on?"

Rogers:
"Right everyone we'll head out in two cars and park in two seperate locations around the site if we then get trouble we've got two ways to run."

Lundquist:
"Good idea."

Borrow:
"We should use different cars than our own?"

Rogers:
"We can meet up before we go in, as for cover we're part of federal response to the bomb team I'm the CIA representative sent in in case of terrorism for NY and you guys are my team."

Rogers:
"I'm assuming we can get the correct ID's for everyone."

Keeper:
Kelley says, "These guys probably have our pictures on file. They'll see through the covers pretty quick."

Rogers:
"The beauty of the plan is they won't be in the building by the time we arrive."

Borrow:
Borrow hmms. "Maybe we each need a beard. The ZZ Top inspection team."

Lundquist:
"I'll wear a fake mustache."

Keeper:
Kelley laughs.

Rogers:
"Hell we're going in as CIA counter terrorism officers, use the moustache if you want but if anyone starts asking questions we just scream national security and get them out of our faces."

Keeper:
He shrugs. "You guys are the ones posing as DoJ. I'm just saying you might risk both covers if you're not careful."

Rogers:
"Right anyone got any suggestions?"

Rogers:
"Ok we can use both covers but we'd have to have seperate teams."

Lundquist:
"Why not keep up the DoJ cover? Go in as the DoJ people, same as we have been. We've clearly got an interest in Breckenridge--some of their people shot at us, for crying out loud."

Rogers:
"Would DoJ search for a bomb?" "We'd have to go in via the back door when the search has started"

Keeper:
Kelley says, "Bombs are usually done by the ATF and the FBI."

Keeper:
"DoJ itself doesn't have too many regular criminal investigators, just to back up U.S. Attorney's investigations or to investigate corruption. But our whole cover here has been a 'special task force' type thing."

Lundquist:
"Yeah, but these things tend to mushroom with everybody who could possilbly have an interest in it showing up and wanting to take part."

Keeper:
Right. "So we'll have ATF and FBI and NYPD on the scene quick after the scare is called in. Maybe not a lot of them, but enough."

Lundquist:
"Exactly. We're going in not to investigate--that's the bomb squad's job--but rather to supervise, observe, and oversee the process to aid in building our criminal prosecution. All under the auspices of the multi-agency task force."

Rogers:
"Well shall we just stick to our covers and show up and try and get in? We can always sneak round the back if we can't get in officially."

Lundquist:
"Works for me. We can always go in with our own warrant later if we want."

Keeper:
"Two teams? Have one group go in deep at first while the other runs interference, then the other can follow in when the cops are confused?"

Rogers:
"Who'd run cover?"

Keeper:
He shrugs. "We could call in Maddux. He and Danforth could do it, or me and Danforth."

Keeper:
"Or we could reactivate Knight and McCannon.

Lundquist:
"Yeah, let them earn their pay for a while..."

Rogers:
"Why would a PI and a cop run the outside of a federal operation?"

Lundquist:
"Well, good question... Though if we gave them cover ID's, they could be anything we want."

Keeper:
"Especially Knight. McCannon's been pretty high visibility. He'd get screwed on the job if he was seen posing as a fed."

Rogers:
"Whatever. We're wasting time here, unless yes I've got it..."

Rogers:
"... we call in the bomb scare and then turn up at the scene to serve the warrent, and just go in to help out our fellow officers."

Rogers:
"using our DoJ covers."

Lundquist:
"So who do we want to have call it in?"

Rogers:
"I think Knight can do it, providing he knows to use a payphone."

Rogers:
"Like you said he can earn his pay."

Lundquist:
"Okay. How do we ensure that the threat is taken seriously, and not as a prank call?"

Borrow:
Borrow just idly cleans his firearm at this point, just in case.

Keeper:
Kelley says, "Detail is what does it."

Borrow:
"Let's plant a fake bomb when we get in there?"

Borrow:
"If we come out with it, more convincing."

Rogers:
"They have to take all threats seriously, and besides all we need is to add the name of some militia and we're good to go."

Lundquist:
"Rogers, Kelly, you guys want to draft this thing, so it's worded right?"

Rogers:
"Kelly could you get something realistic looking?"

Keeper:
"Give him some specs of a likely bomb and let him describe it from top to bottom. Then say what he wants and when he wants it. They'll take that more seriously than just calling up and threatening them."

Keeper:
"A real-looking fake bomb?" He shrugs. "Yeah, we could get something like that."

Rogers:
"Good"

Rogers:
question to keeper "we do know what Breckenridge do in theory don't we?

Keeper:
Breckenridge is a multinational security corporation.

Keeper:
Private security, investigations, corrections, etc.

Keeper:
Kelley goes to make some calls to his NSA and CIA contacts.

Keeper:
The "unlisted" ones in S&T, mainly.

Keeper:
After a while, he comes back with specifications for two 100-pound plastique-and-fertilizer specials.

Keeper:
A few minutes after that, he's rattled off the specs to Barry Knight, Private Eye, with instructions for calling in the threat.

Rogers:
"Right how about anarchists attacking major corporation especially security ones, big brother etc."

Rogers:
"They'd have the know how and the motive."

Keeper:
"Anarchists? Do those exist anymore?"

Keeper:
He shrugs. "Doesn't matter, I guess. Anarchists is fine with me." He passes it along to Knight.

Keeper:
"Anything else?"

Lundquist:
"Not that I can think of..."

Rogers:
"Ok lets get our stuff and get in position."

Borrow:
"Sounds good to me."

Borrow:
Borrow nods and gets all his stuff together.

Lundquist:
So does Lundquist.

Rogers:
"Mr. L, Kelly they are playing our tune."

Keeper:
Dramatic action-music swells in the background as the crew locks and loads...

Lundquist:
"Oh?"

Rogers:
"Lets go."

Keeper:
Cut to Manhattan, mid-town and mid-morning: things are quiet for the city, meaning the streets are crowded but not choked with pedestrians and taxi-cabs and buses.

Keeper:
The streets are bright with the pale grey light of the overcast summer day.

Keeper:
Your group is in two cars: how are you divided up?

Lundquist:
I'll take one car with Borrow and Danforth; Kelly, Maddux and Rogers can go in the other one.

Borrow:
Borrow will take his car as one.

Rogers:
great the small innocent looking guys in one car and us in the other one

Lundquist:
You got it. :-)

Rogers:
We amy as well stay together as we are going to be semi official now.

Lundquist:
"Well, I still like the idea of parking in two different places, just in case."

Rogers:
"Ok let's stick to that part of the plan"

Keeper:
You drive up on separate sides of the block. The Breckenridge Corporation is housed on an upper floor of a high-rise, one of the countless modest skyscrapers that make up the city skyline.

Keeper:
You can see a Breckenridge security guard standing outside the main entrance, in a khaki uniform reminescent of a sheriffs uniform, complete with a brimmed hat.

Lundquist:
How impressive.

Keeper:
It looks fairly sharp for a security guard's uniform. It's neat, at least. The guard himself looks alert and competent.

Keeper:
After a few minutes you get a call from Knight. "I just called in the threat. I'm heading over now to get them busy before the cavalry shows up. Want me to call the FBI to get them over here to make it look right?"

Rogers:
"May as well belt and braces approach"

Keeper:
"What's that? Bad cell connection here."

Rogers:
"may as well contact the FBI just to amke sure the old belt and braces approach."

Keeper:
"Okay. I'll be there in a minute." He hangs up.

Keeper:
Less than two minutes later, a bland midsized car comes careening around the corner with a siren blaring on top. It hauls up to the front gate with a screeching of tires.

Keeper:
Knight steps out, wearing a beige suit and nice cowboy boots, and waves a badge around as he starts shouting at the guard.

Keeper:
The guard looks surprised and irate. He holds a hand up as if to get Knight to calm down. Knight storms past him into the building.

Keeper:
The guard follows. A couple of minutes pass. What are you doing?

Lundquist:
We're waiting and watching carefully.

Rogers:
Untill we get some more officialdom out here then we move in and 'help' out

Keeper:
After a couple of minutes you hear sirens. Rogers, Kelley has the scanner tuned in to the emergency frequencies. "FBI and NYPD are on the way. ATF is scrambling a team."

Keeper:
"Fire Department is on it, too."

Keeper:
Then you see the first cars come around the corner, FBI "Bucars" and two NYPD ESU vans.

Keeper:
They pull up alongside Knight's car in front of the building and men and women pile out, radios in hand. Six blue-suited ESU cops move into the building while four others start laying out Crime Scene tape outside to keep people back.

Lundquist:
Little bit longer, I think... What do you think?

Keeper:
The first ESU cops confer with the FBI leaders in front. There seems to be a lot of confusion already.

Keeper:
Outside, the scene is getting a lot of curious looks but not much alarm.

Rogers:
yes let them clear everyone out then move in in the confusion.

Keeper:
Then the first people start coming out of the building, men and women in business suits, walking slowly, unconcerned but irritated.

Rogers:
whispered to Kelly "Who's got the 'package'?"

Keeper:
Over a few minutes, more people come out of the building, herded by the police. More police cars show up and another ESU van, then two big ATF task force vans.

Keeper:
Kelley says, "I have it here in a couple of bags. They're heavy, though. We ought to each carry one, if we're bringing both."

Rogers:
"Ok when Mr. L moves then we go ok everyone?"

Lundquist:
"Ready, Borrow?"

Borrow:
"Yep."

Keeper:
Kelley nods, listening on the scanner. "Hey... FAA frequency has a helicopter pilot signaling a take-off from the top of the building."

Rogers:
I'm looking up to see what colour it is ;-)

Lundquist:
"Oh, hell no...

Keeper:
You don't see anything yet.

Lundquist:
Speed dial Osborne.

Keeper:
Kelley says, "Sounds like he's not in the air yet. Still prepping."

Keeper:
Lundquist: No answer.

Lundquist:
"Shit, let's get up there! Maybe we can stop it!"

Keeper:
"Are we bringing these "packages"?"

Borrow:
"There a way we can deny the helicoper clearance to take off?"

Borrow:
"Perhaps call FAA and notify them those might be the anarchists that planted the bomb."

Rogers:
I'm speed dialling the FAA

Rogers:
"Yes but be very carefull."

Lundquist:
"Kelly, Maddux, Borrow, let's go try and stop the chopper. Rogers, you keep Danforth and try to work it with the FAA. If need be, you two can smuggle the packages in in a little bit. Okay?"

Keeper:
Rogers, you get a woman on the line. "FAA Emergency Line, what's your phone number please?"

Keeper:
Kelley leaves the two 100-pound fake bombs in the floorboard.

Rogers:
give her a number

Keeper:
Maddux still has his left arm bound up in a sling, by the way, and in bandages from his injury a couple of days ago.

Lundquist:
Okay, maybe he should stay here to help Rogers then?

Borrow:
"There ought to be a police copter around somewhere or a news cast one. Let's get that on the line by talking to the officers already here? Maybe get them to follow if the helicopter takes off?

Keeper:
Kelley carries a heavy equipment-bag.

Rogers:
"Hello, this is Agent Smith of the DoJ, we need you to deny clearance to a helicopter that wants to take of from the Breckenridge Corporation in New York,"

Keeper:
Kelley says to Lundquist, "Forget it, bring him in. He can handle a pistol if he needs to."

Borrow:
Borrow is willing to jump out of car and get things moving.

Rogers:
"It's possible that it contains suspects in a bomb threat, so we need this done asap."

Lundquist:
"Yeah, we can maybe have an NYPD helo tail our target if we miss it, but let's get up to the roof already!"

Keeper:
Rogers, the woman says slowly: "Do you have the address in question, sir?"

Lundquist:
"Let's go! Upstairs! Now!" Lundquist hurries inside.

Keeper:
Kelley jogs across the street. A couple of cars lurch to a halt, honking, drivers shouting angrily.

Rogers:
"hello, if that's not possible we need it tracked on radar and information on its course relayed to me at this number."

Keeper:
Lundquist, Maddux and Kelley flank you into the building. You enter a side-door and find yourselves in a narrow, marble-walled hallway. There are doors to either side. At the end of the hall it turns left, and there are stairs to your right. You hear an elevator button and voices to the left.

Lundquist:
We go that way.

Rogers:
"the address is" I give her the address.

Borrow:
Borrow is accompanying Lund and the others.

Keeper:
Rogers, the lady says, "Do you have any other information you can give me, sir?"

Keeper:
Borrow, you catch up with them as they come around to the elevators.

Keeper:
The elevators are crowded with confused office workers trying to get out and trying to figure out what is going on.

Lundquist:
"Go this way, please, ladies and gentlemen. Move along, do not panic." Yadda yadda.

Keeper:
A couple of cops stand by the elevators, and you see an FBI agent in the nearest elevator, operating it and rushing people out. Another is in the next elevator, and cops man the others.

Borrow:
Borrow looks for one of those express elevators to maybe a sky lobby about?

Keeper:
You don't see anything like that, Borrow.

Lundquist:
I go to an elevator with an FBI guy in it and show him my ID. "Lundquist, DoJ. I need to get to the roof right away. Can you get me up there?"

Rogers:
"I've got the registration number it's ..... Just do what you can, if possible tell me where its going to land and I'll arrange a police welcome for them."

Keeper:
Rogers, the lady puts you on hold.

Lundquist:
Problem with a helo is, it can land anywhere.

Lundquist:
And it doesn't even have to land... I once saw this guy... Nah, nevermind, you'd never believe it.

Keeper:
The agent scowls. "We're trying to get people to safety here! Bomb squad's already up there."

Rogers:
Right I'm going to follow them in and keep the phone with me (locking the car with the packages of course)

Keeper:
Heh.

Keeper:
Leaving the packages in the car, Rogers?

Lundquist:
"This is a real emergency. We have perps still in the building." Fast talk!

Rogers:
yes after locking the car

Keeper:
"All right, all right!" He gets on his radio. "Meadows to ASAC, I'm taking elevator three offline to get some DOJ guys upstairs."

Keeper:
The answer comes back, "ASAC to Meadows. Tell them to report to me on floor ten. Out."

Keeper:
Agent Meadows nods you in.

Lundquist:
"Meadows, who's the ASAC here?"

Keeper:
"Wilson Devereux, Anti-Terrorism."

Keeper:
Your team gets inside. Rogers comes running around the corner with Danforth right before the doors shut.

Keeper:
NB: TBC is on the 15th floor.

Lundquist:
"Please ask him to meet us with some of his people on the roof right away. Advise him that we have some perps still in the building."

Keeper:
Meadows flips a switch and presses a couple of buttons, and the elevator rises, very gently and comfortably.

Keeper:
Meadows scowls again. "Perps? Shit." He lifts his radio again. "Meadows to ASAC. DoJ here says they have perps on the roof. Do we have anybody up there yet? Over."

Keeper:
From the radio: "ASAC to Meadows, NYPD and ATF have some bomb squad boys up there. There's a chopper trying to get out of the way. What's this about Perps?"

Keeper:
Meadows says, "I dunno, sir, they say they're after some perps on the roof, so get up there right away, over."

Keeper:
"Roger," says the ASAC, "I'll meet them up there."

Keeper:
The elevator picks up speed rapidly as it rises. The whole trip takes less than a minute. It decelerates quickly, leaving a queasy feeling in the stomach.

Lundquist:
Lundquist draws and checks his weapon and holds it ready.

Keeper:
The elevator doors open to a small roofed area with plexiglass windows facing over the helipad.

Rogers:
Rogers does the same.

Lundquist:
Anything on the helipad?

Borrow:
Borrows snaps the holster safety snap, and draws it, keeping aim low.

Keeper:
Nearby in the glass-enclosed hall are other elevator doors and the reinforced door of the stairwell. Outside the plexiglass you see two NYPD figures in blue-black flak suits and helmets. One of htem is standing still, holding a hand to his head and listening. He looks your way.

Keeper:
Near the edge of the building is a man in a black-jumpsuit with "ATF" in bold white letters on front and back.

Keeper:
A helicopter is on the pad.

Lundquist:
What color is it?

Keeper:
It looks to all of you like an ordinary Bell Ranger type, the sort used by rich companies, fairly big and comfortable. It sports a lot of antennae and expensive-looking equipment. Its rotors are turning fast, idling before takeoff. Inside you see only the pilot.

Rogers:
Colour?

Keeper:
The helicopter is a neutral grey-white color.

Lundquist:
I approach the chopper from the front and make a cutting motion with my hand to the pilot.

Rogers:
I'm holstering my pistol

Lundquist:
Does this thing have wire-cutters on it, like a military Jetranger would? And what does the antenna fit look like, to my untrained eye?

Lundquist:
I also note the tail rotor.

Borrow:
Borrow does not holster his weapon just yet, rather keeping an eye on the pilot and trying to remember the registry along the side of the heli.

Keeper:
The antenna looks more complex than most business helicopters.

Rogers:
"Agent Meadows, do you have a map of the building? Perhaps our suspects have headed out another way."

Keeper:
It does have wire-cutters, yes.

Lundquist:
I repeat my insistient guesture that the pilot shut his aircraft down.

Keeper:
Meadows says, "Not on me--Devereux has plans downstairs. Are you sure you had some suspects up here?"

Keeper:
The pilot appears not to notice you, Lundquist, or he pretends not to.

Lundquist:
I make it real obvious by approaching the aircraft. I will walk right up to his door and let him get a look at my weapon, though I am not pointing it at him just yet.

Keeper:
Kelley heads out onto the pad to signal the bomb squad guys to come in to talk.

Lundquist:
"The bomb may be on board that aircraft! It can't be allowed to take off!"

Keeper:
The pilot looks out and frowns. He's talking on his radio. He nods to Lundquist and holds up a hand, gesturing to wait.

Borrow:
Borrows covers Mr. L.

Lundquist:
I shake my head and chop my hand across my throat very insisitently. I will appear agitated.

Rogers:
"We came here to excecute a search warrent related to an ongoing DoJ operation, we've had problem with suspects in helicopters before this was the first place we thought they'd run."

Borrow:
Borrows moves up with Mr. L. He is ready to cover L if needed, and is also ready to rush the cockpit doors. :)

Rogers:
"I'm going to go and get that map now, Kelly your with me."

Lundquist:
Forget this, I'm going to yank open the rear door (passenger comparment, pilot's side) and just hop inside.

Keeper:
Rogers, as you're talking an elevator opens up. You look toward it, and you see three men come out, fast. Two of them are even a blur, faster than your eye would expect--and your eye is pretty damned quick. They carry assault rifles, which are being leveled at you and the other nearest agents. The stairwell door opens in at the same moment.

Lundquist:
Am I in the helo yet?!?

Borrow:
Borrows will pile in after Mr. L, even only if you get away and out of the line of sight of assault rifle men. :P

Keeper:
Lundquist, you're still piling into the helicopter when you see the guys come out.

Rogers:
I'm drawing my gun and shouting "FEDERAL AGENTS IDENTIFY YOURSELVES"

Lundquist:
I ignore them and press my gun against the pilot's head. "FEDERAL AGENT! SHUT IT DOWN RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!"

Rogers:
"DROP THE RIFLES NOW!"

Borrow:
Borrows checks the rest of the cabin of the helicopter in case there was someone overlooked in back.

Keeper:
Guns fire, deafening deadly bursts in the confined hallway. The bullets chew up the plexiglass near Rogers and whiz behind Borrow, and they snap into the cement around Danforth, all half-aimed as the men rush out. Not all half-aimed, though. One M-16 burst tears into Maddux as he is drawing a bead on the guys with his .357 and trying to crouch.

Rogers fires

Keeper:
Maddux, big as he is, staggers back with the impact and flops to the ground in a cloud of blood. Danforth says, "FUCK!" as he drops to the ground and turns his pistol toward the guys.

Keeper:
Meadows blinks and drops to a crouch, astonished, and scrambles at his hip for his weapon.

Keeper:
Lundquist, the pilot says, "Shit, what the fuck is going on!" He brings his hands up and starts punching buttons to shut the copter off.

Keeper:
Borrow, you don't see anybody else in the cabin.

Rogers:
"Mark get out of here now!"

Keeper:
Kelley and the other agents on the pad whip their heads around to the sudden gunfire. The agents look surprised as the men come barrelling out of the hallway with guns blazing. Kelley drops prone, hard, as he whips his gun up to fire.

Borrow:
K. I'm going see if one of those windows rolls down, then open the door alittle and see if I can use the door as cover as I draw a bead on the assault rifle men.

Lundquist:
"You're under arrest! Get out of the aircraft and lie on the ground RIGHT NOW!!!!"

Keeper:
Rogers, you see another three men appear in the stairwell as the first group head out onto the helipad in a rush. The new group sports two submachine guns and a pistol.

Lundquist:
I put my gun against the roof of the helicopter and begin firing into the engine compartment above. I empty a whole magazine and reload.

Keeper:
Meanwhile, Rogers, you put two slugs into the first of the M-16 guys, center mass in the side of his chest. He staggers, but he doesn't go down.

Lundquist:
Oh, good...

Keeper:
(It could just mean he has body armor which is defeating the Glasers... maybe...)

Rogers:
I'm just shooting them to kill nothing fancy head shots while trying to get some cover or hit the deck whatevers closer

Keeper:
Lundquist, you put a load of bullets into the roof overhead. Spent cartridges ricochet off the inside of the cabin.

Lundquist:
Eject the clip and reload.

Lundquist:
Maybe if this escape route won't work, they'll go some other way...

Borrow:
How do my shots do?

Keeper:
Rogers, you keep a line on the target as you fire--recoil draws your aim up but you keep it steady. Your next shot slams into the jaw of your target as he runs crouching across the tarmac. His head whips around with the impact, as the glaser round seems to explode against his jawbone. He staggers and nearly goes into a crouch, looking agonized.

Keeper:
Then he stands there for a moment, stunned, as if trying to shake it, as blood drips from the ruin of his face.

Lundquist:
Poor guy.

Keeper:
Borrow, you can't get your hand out the window enough to fire.

Keeper:
Rogers, near you Meadows turns toward the first group and starts firing. Behind him, you hear Danforth firing down the hall, past you and Meadows toward the guys on the stairs.

Borrow:
I'll try to adjust position, maybe hanging out and using door as cover.

Rogers:
Is he out of it or still a threat?

Keeper:
Hard to tell, Rogers.

Keeper:
Borrow, you scramble over to the door as Lundquist reloads. Through the deafness of the gunshots you both vaguely hear unhealthy noises from the engines above.

Rogers:
I'm going to aim for someone else then.

Lundquist:
I shoot a glance at the control panel. Any satisfyingly red warning lights coming on?

Keeper:
Several of them.

Rogers:
how many targets on the roof now and was the one I got one of the very fast ones?

Lundquist:
Good. What's the pilot doing? "GET OUT AND LIE ON THE GROUND! NOW!!!"

Keeper:
Rogers, the chaos in the hall increases as the guys in the doorway open fire: dozens of round ricochet off the concrete and snap through the plexiglass. Agent Meadows twists and is thrown down screaming as a half-dozen rounds tear through his leg and abdomen. One of the guys in the doorway recoils from Danforth's return fire.

Keeper:
The pilot scrambles out and flops to the ground.

Borrow:
Fuel on helicopters is kept in the back, right?

Keeper:
Outside, one of the agents opens up on Kelley, putting a burst alongside him that tears up the asphalt. Kelley, lying prone, shrinks away from it with a grimace and fires a tight burst at the gunman.

Rogers:
"Cover me I'm going for an M-16"

Keeper:
Borrow, Lundquist, the other one outside aims up into the copter.

Lundquist:
Yeah, aft of the passenger compartment on a Jetranger. And maybe below the floor too?

Lundquist:
I duck and roll out the other side, fast!

Keeper:
Rogers, you hear Danforth swearing a blue streak as he intensifies his fire as you run out.

Borrow:
Borrow is already half out, so he tries to take cover away from helicopter and out of sight of assault rifle men. ;P

Rogers:
I'm gonna dive to the guy and try and use him as cover

Borrow:
Perhaps underneath Meadows. :P

Keeper:
Borrow, the gunman is on your side of the copter, firing up at you... are you still dropping out?

Keeper:
(Note, Meadows is in the covered hall, well away from the helicopter.)

Lundquist:
I roll to the ground, using the helo for cover, and look for a target. I try to get a bead on the one close to Borrows.

Borrow:
Borrow guesses he'll take the long way through, hopping out the other side then. Wouldn't hop out in front of him. :P

Keeper:
The ATF guy and hte two NYPD officers outside have drawn pistols, two dropping to their knees and firing at the riflemen and the other running around the helicopter, the other side from the gunman.

Keeper:
Rifle rounds tear through the helicopter in a hail of sparks and glass.

Keeper:
Lundquist, a piece of broken window catches your arm for 2 HP as you barrel out.

Lundquist:
"Yaaah!"

Keeper:
Borrow, you stumble out on top of Lundquist.

Borrow:
"Ooof!"

Lundquist:
"Aaah, watch my arm!"

Lundquist:
I try to get out from under Borrow and look under the helo for the legs of that gunman.

Keeper:
Rogers, you charge your man. He sways a bit, and even as you rush him he seems to be trying to collect himself. You hurl into him. You're built like a linebacker, but it's like you hit a brick wall. He staggers back, entangled with you, and almost goes to a knee. His rifle drops to the ground with a clatter, and then...

Borrow:
Borrow rolls offa him and to the side, to return fire at any angle.

Keeper:
And then Rogers just goes upside down--one second he was shoving the big bastard down, and the next the guy is turning and moving like lightning and Rogers is in the air.

Keeper:
Rogers, it's like slow-motion: you can see a blade of the helicopter rotor flicking toward you as you hurl through the air. Then it has missed you, some how, and you slam to the ground on your left shoulder. It feels like it might be dislocated. Lose 6 HP.

Rogers:
I'm going to try and roll out of it.

Rogers:
when I hit the floor that is

Rogers:
and pull my second gun.

Keeper:
The same guy--face shot half-off and all--flinches as bullets slam into him from the NYPD officers on the helipad.

Keeper:
Borrow, you draw a bead on the guy trading shots with Kelley.

Lundquist:
Where's the one who fired into the helo?

Borrow:
Borrow will be grouping his shots, firing off 2 at a time before trying to switch targets.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you're lying on the tarmac: you can see underneath it to the guy's legs as he jogs up to jump into the cockpit.

Lundquist:
I shoot the crap out of his legs, trying to shatter bones and kneecaps. Even if he's superman, he can't stand up if he's got no bones in his legs...

Keeper:
Borrow, you put two shots tight into the target: one hits his torso, the next his shoulder. He turns and opens up a burst at you. The rounds whiz past your head.

Borrow:
Borrow decides that now that he has this one's attention, he won't change targets. He'll move low and try to take some sort of cover: What's available?

Rogers:
Can I try and shoot something?

Keeper:
Lundquist, you fire twice, but your aim is bad with adrenaline and pain.

Keeper:
The guy leaps up and his legs are out of view.

Keeper:
Rogers, the one who tossed you reaches down for his rifle again.

Lundquist:
Then I wrench open the copilot's door and shoot him repeatedly in the head.

Keeper:
In the tunnel you see Danforth lurch up and hit the nearest elevator button as he fires again and again down the hall. He flinches back as another burst from the stairs slams into his chest and into the wall around him.

Keeper:
Borrow, the only cover around is the helicopter. Its landing skids are right by you and Lundquist.

Rogers:
I'm going to shoot him again.

Borrow:
Borrow will try and take cover near or around the skids then. I'll be carefull though, in case showhow the dude can get the helicopter off the ground, and I don't wanna get hooked or crushed.

Keeper:
Then Kelley's next group hits: one takes the guy in the arm, the follow-up hits him clean in the center of the head. Borrow, your target's head snaps back and he drops.

Keeper:
Rogers, you fire but you miss--your aim is off, too, with the injury and adrenaline pumping...

Rogers:
keep shooting

Borrow:
Borrow will take the moment to make sure he's down, then switch targets. If he's at an angle to pop shots at the man inside the cockpit through the broken window, he'll take them now.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you reach up and aim into the helicopter cabin. The guy is bringing his rifle up over the obstructions, the pilot's seat and the steering column and hanging wires and sparks. He's moving fast, too fast, more cleanly than you've seen in a firefight. Your first round hits the roof over his head.

Keeper:
He brings the rifle around at you. Your next round hits him in the face, beneath his right eye. His head lurches back and he staggers down, out of the cabin to the tarmac outside.

Keeper:
Borrow, you see the guy in the cockpit go down.

Lundquist:
I squeeze the trigger as quickly as I can and drop backwards at the same time. I don't care if I hit him, his weapon, the instrument panel, or some other part of the helo, but I'll keep firing and I'll drop out of sight.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you fall roughly to the pavement after firing. Beneath the helicopter, you see the guy flop to the ground on the other side.

Borrow:
Borrow assumes he's down. Is there another target within range?

Borrow:
Borrow will empty his clip at the next target, then reload. ;)

Rogers:
Rogers will aim more carefully this time.

Keeper:
Rogers, you fire again: you miss once, then as the guy brings his rifle up you shoot his arm. He lurches around again and falls down.

Rogers:
Rogers decides to shoot at something else now.

Keeper:
Other rounds hit him from the NYPD officers, hitting him in the torso and legs, drawing blood and more blood. But--you carefully note--he still is not incapacitated. He still squirms around, trying to raise his weapon with his good arm.

Lundquist:
Lundquist scrambles to his feet and hurries around the helo, keeping low and looking for targets.

Keeper:
Borrow, Lundquist, the ATF guy is near you now, jogging around in a crouch.

Lundquist:
"Who the fuck are these guys!?" Lunquist shouts for ATF's benefit.

Rogers:
Ok Scratch that last decision I'm shooting till he's dead.

Lundquist:
Shit! I look to the one I shot in the face...

Keeper:
Back in the hall, Danforth is engulfed in a hail of gunfire from the stairwell door, rounds snapping and ricocheting all around him as he staggers up. The elevator door slides open, and he leaps inside.

Keeper:
Lundquist, the one you shot is squirming and standing up.

Lundquist:
I shoot him some more.

Lundquist:
How many of these guys are left?

Lundquist:
All of them?

Keeper:
Kelley rips his bag open and reaches in for his submachine gun.

Lundquist:
About time...

Lundquist:
This is the last time I go on one of these without an elephant gun.

Keeper:
Rogers' target is on the ground, full of lead but trying to get up as Rogers shoots at him... The other one is lying outside the helicopter, getting up... the one Kelley plugged is lying still.

Keeper:
In the hall, three more guys come out into view from the stairwell, brandishing submachine guns.

Keeper:
The ATF guy near Lundquist and Borrow and Kelley cusses and drops for the meager cover of the helicopter's skids.

Borrow:
Borrow takes cover behind the ATF man and unloads his clip at the 3 submachine gun men.

Keeper:
Rogers, you fire a few more rounds at your target. One of them rips an explosive hole in his knee and he flops to the ground again.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you draw a bead on your squirming guy. You shoot: and your gun jams.

Lundquist:
I get back behind the helo and fire into its cockpit, shooting up the fuse panel and the instruments.

Lundquist:
AARRGH!!! I clear it, fast!!!

Keeper:
The wind picks up a little, blowing your ties up and cooling sweat and blood.

Keeper:
Lunduist's guy turns to the two NYPD officers who have been crouching and firing. One of them has gotten up and started jogging nearer. The gunman unloads his M-16; then HIS gun misfires. He drops to a knee as he reaches into his coat. The return fire slams into his torso and leg. He brings out a heavy handgun.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you work on your pistol, but with the sweat and blood on your shaking hands you don't seem to get anywhere. It's stuck but good.

Borrow:
Am I out of ammo?

Lundquist:
Okay, I go for my holdout piece then. Stupid H&K's...

Rogers:
can I see where my original gun went?

Keeper:
Borrow, you fire at the guys in the hall, putting bullets through the plexiglass. You see one of your targets flinch. Nearby, the ATF agent opens fire with his pistol, and Kelley with his MP5SD in a whirring of silenced rounds, as the guys in the hall reach up and fire with their own submachine guns...

Keeper:
The ATF agent puts two bullets close on target, and another of the agents recoils; the other in the hall opens up a wide burst across the three of you. It fires high of Kelley, tears into the ATF agent, and ricochets off the landing skids around Borrow. The ATF agent drops, bloody.

Keeper:
Then Kelley fires: you see the red pinpoint of his laser sight flick on the plexiglass before the standing enemy, then center, and a long burst tears into the man's chest and head and drops him.

Keeper:
Rogers, your first gun is on the tarmac several yards away.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you draw your holdout. What next?

Lundquist:
I shoot up the helo's overhead fuse panel through the open copilot's door.

Keeper:
Done... more sparks fly.

Keeper:
Borrow, what about you?

Lundquist:
Let's see them fly THAT... :-)

Keeper:
OK: Rogers, your gun is several yards away on the tarmac, not far from the guy who threw you, who's still lying on the ground in a veritable lake of blood.

Borrow:
Reload and pull the ATF man over me.

Borrow:
I know it's a bad thing ta do, but I need to live. :P

Borrow:
That's my last clip too. I only carry two max.

Borrow:
Once I'm back up I'll try to hit more of those 3 men.

Keeper:
Behind you, you see another of the guys with a pistol out, facing the two NYPD officers, one nearer, one farther. He puts a bullet square into the leg of the nearest one, who drops and screams.

Keeper:
Borrow, the one who's standing is on the other side of the helicopter from you and Lundquist.

Keeper:
Rogers and Borrow, you see another elevator door open: flak-suit wearing men inside toss gas cannisters out into the hall ahead of them.

Keeper:
The wind picks up some more, blowing everyone's sweat-matted hair.

Lundquist:
I start shouting. "SURRENDER AT ONCE! THE HELICOPTER IS DISABLED AND YOU ARE SURROUNDED!" (Like this'll work...)

Keeper:
One of the guys in the hall fires through the billowing gas at the elevator, suppressing the new arrivals; the first of them flinch back from the ricocheting bullets and crouch low.

Keeper:
Lundquist...

Rogers:
where's his m-16

Rogers:
and is he dead?

Lundquist:
...?

Keeper:
The long whipping rotors of another helicopter rise into view near your side of the roof, facing you and Borrow and Kelley. The craft is larger than the one on the tarmac, shaped in angles like a gem--or a stealth fighter--and a dull matte black, windows to canopy to skids. It makes hardly more noise than the wind.

Keeper:
Rogers, you scramble over and grab the fallen gunman's M-16; with your injured shoulder it is hard to carry and aim, and it will be hell to fire.

Lundquist:
I begin firing on it, aiming for the tail rotor. (Hey, it worked for DeNiro...)

Keeper:
Borrow, you and Kelley see the new helicopter next.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you put bullets toward the black helicopter to no effect. You see sparks as one hits the canopy.

Keeper:
Then a hatch slides open and you see a large gun barrel emerge.

Lundquist:
"Scatter!" I run for cover.

Borrow:
Borrow is gonna check if he can get his hands on the weapon belonging to the ATF man beside him. Something submachine?

Keeper:
Kelley scrambles up and darts toward the gas-filled hall, the only cover nearby.

Keeper:
The ATF man just had a pistol, Borrow.

Borrow:
Borrow forgets the gun for now, and does exactly that, running for cover.

Rogers has left the conversation.

Lundquist whispers to

Keeper:

(And here I was thinking the growing wind was some sort of side effect of a terrible ritual in progress inside the building!!)

Keeper whispers to Lundquist:
(How do you know it WASN'T?)

Lundquist whispers to

Keeper:

:-) Note to self... Carry M-16 with grenade launcher everywhere I go from now on...

Keeper:
The black helicopter rises over the scene. As you scatter you hear a muffled roar, like the strange whirring thunder of a minigun. Behind you, one of the NYPD cops is cut to ribbons and thrown back over the edge of the tarmac to the catch-wires below. The other one writhes on the ground as bullets chew up the asphalt around him.

Keeper:
From the hall, one of the gunmen darts out of the gas, face red and eyes watering, toward Borrow, Lundquist, and Kelley. He brings his gun up to fire as he runs.

Borrow:
Borrow will hold his breath before going into the gas.

Keeper:
How are you reacting?

Lundquist:
!!!

Keeper:
Hmmm? :-)

Borrow:
Umm.

Lundquist:
I'm running for the hallway too.

Borrow:
How close is the next rooftop over? :P

Keeper:
About sixty yards. :-)

Lundquist:
I'm getting ready to dogde out of the way of the approaching gunman's blast if his shots come my way.

Keeper:
Borrow?

Borrow:
I guess I'm gonna hopefully just squeeze off shots as I run, trying to get cover close to the gas or around the men. I don't want to be shot by the men, but I'm not going to back up into minigun fire. If I can remember where the stairs are, I'm headed down. :P

Keeper:
Borrow, the first shot you pop off is close to home, despite running and the shakes. Your bullet hits his left arm, throwing his aim off a little. He fires a wide burst across Kelley and Lundquist. Kelley grunts as one hits his chest, and the burst fires over Lundquist as he ducks.

Keeper:
Then Kelley pops off a burst which hits the gunman's chest and his other arm. He snarls and his weapon drops, but he staggers past you toward the helipad.

Lundquist:
Crap... I shoot him too.

Lundquist:
I shoot his legs.

Lundquist:
Actually, I go for his dropped weapon.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you pick up the submachine gun. Kelley darts to the doorway of the shattered hall and into the gas amid the confused shouts and orders of the cops coming out of the elevator.

Keeper:
Borrow, what are you doing?

Keeper:
The black helicopter turns gracefully in place, bringing an open gun port around toward your group and the elevators.

Borrow:
How thick is this gas?

Borrow:
I'm hoping we can locate the stairs.

Lundquist:
I sprint for the open doors and the gas-lined hallway.

Keeper:
In the confines of the hall, the gas is nearly opaque. Visibility is about five feet.

Keeper:
The helicopter's gun opens up again, the same thunderous whirring, shattering the hall and the plexiglass and the elevator doors.

Borrow:
I'll try blinking fast to keep my eyes cleared and to see any doors.

Lundquist:
I duck back the other way, trying to stay out of the path of fire.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you duck to the tarmac, out of the first burst.

Keeper:
Borrow, you dodge to the stairs on Kelley's heels.

Keeper:
The elevators are chewed up. One of them still contained most of the load of cops who had come up, as only a couple had jogged out to check the men on the floor. You can't hear their screams over the helicopter's gunfire.

Keeper:
Lundquist, you're feeling awfully naked. What are you doing?

Lundquist:
Our ops sure are hard on the NYPD... Can I get around behind the structure with the elevators and the stairwell?

Lundquist:
Or is it flush with the building's edge?

Keeper:
Flush with the edge.

Lundquist:
Crap... Any other trap doors, skylights, air conditioners, etc poking up above the tarmac anywhere?

Keeper:
Not where you are. On the other side of the elevator bank, where it's normal roof, maybe. But not here. The closest cover is inside the hall, after Kelley and Borrow.

Lundquist:
Then that's where I'll go, as fast as I can.

Lundquist:
Once in there I won't stop sprinting until I've found the stairs and descended a floor or two.

Borrow:
Borrow will keep up with the group as much as possible.

Keeper:
You get up and rush toward it, with another burst of machine gun fire on your heels, literally: the blast destroys the asphalt where you had lain and follows up into the hall right behind and over you.

Lundquist:
!!!

Keeper:
Then through the door, and you're tumbling down the stairs, painfully, past Borrow and Kelley as the crouch against the walls.

Borrow:
ACK. Have to go.

Keeper:
The helicopter's gunfire continues for several seconds outside. Then it's quiet. As hearing returns you finally can distinguish what must be the thing's eerily-silent rotors, and, once, an incoherent shout.

Keeper:
Then the rotor noise fades away, quickly, almost instantly.

Keeper:
Do you poke your head out? Kelley starts to crawl up to look.

Lundquist:
Stupid protomatter-enhanced super-soldiers...

Lundquist:
Well, that lot got away.

Lundquist:
Yeah, I'll look.

Keeper:
You and Kelley and Borrow look out again. The hallway is like a war-zone: the wall and the plexiglass have been levelled, and an enormous pool of dark blood fills the floor, most thick around the elevator. You see limbs and flesh inside.

Keeper:
As you look around, another elevator opens, and Danforth pokes his head out behind his pistol.

Lundquist:
"Christ..."

Lundquist:
"They're gone, man, get some paramedics up here! Are you okay?"

Keeper:
The shot-up helicopter is still, there, of course. You see the body of the ATF agent nearby. One of the NYPD officers lies on the tarmac beneath the helicopter in blood.

Keeper:
He's still alive, as it happens, but barely.

Keeper:
The bodies of the assailants are completely gone, all but their bloodstains.

Lundquist:
Any bad guys left lying out there?

Keeper:
Danforth nods. "Yeah," he says hoarsely. "Vest saved my ass. Fuckin A." He looks queasy.

Lundquist:
I'll try and contact Devereux, or whoever is in charge, and repeat the call for paramedics.

Lundquist:
I look around, at the surrounding buildings... Are any of them taller than this one? Are their windows lined with shocked onlookers anywhere?

Keeper:
After a quiet minute, you hear the pounding steps of other officers and agents finally coming from the stairs below. Then the elevators open and more of them pour out. The shocked cleanup slowly begins.

Keeper:
There aren't any buildings nearby that are taller--most are about the same height or a little shorter--but you see plenty of gaping faces in the windows.

Lundquist:
I'll have Borrow secure the bloodstains of these mystery men and have him begin collecting evidence.

Keeper:
Lose another point of SAN, btw.

Lundquist:
Only one? Seemms generous...

Lundquist:
(Not that I'm arguing)

Keeper:
Rolled low on 1d3.

Keeper:
You get your arm bandaged up, too, removing the 2 HP wound.

Keeper:
(Not removing the wound, of course, but removing the penalty)

Lundquist:
Right. Well, I can think of about forty things that have to be done immediately... Should we break here for next week?

Keeper:
Yeah, break here.

Keeper:
For the record, Maddux is gone. He might have survived the blood loss from his leg wounds, but the gunship tore him up.

Lundquist:
Were those firing projectiles? Are there bulletholes all over the rooftop?

Lundquist:
Jeez...

Keeper:
There are bullet holes, yes. Heavy machine gun rounds.

Lundquist:
Well, that's something for the ballistics people to look at then.

Keeper:
Yep.

Lundquist:
Okay, I'll send you an email in the next day or two. Jeez, this thing keeps piling up around us higher and higher!