Report #3270, Transcript Section #43
(Operation SANDMAN)
©1998-1999 Shane Ivey

KEEPER: Rogers, you seem to be fully recovered after your experiment with the thing found in Volker's safe deposit box.

CABOT: Ju have cahones like watermellons, you know that, Rogers?

KEEPER: It's around 11:00 AM, now. Rogers and Lundquist have had a little sleep, which means Lundquist is not quite as sickly as he was before.

ROGERS: "Or very little common sense one or the other."

LUNDQUIST: (I mean, go along without me, I'll read along & catch up)

KEEPER: Danforth goes back to examining the thing under the microscope.

KEEPER: Kelley yawns and sits down to check several pieces of equipment--GPS locators, goggles, and other infiltration tools.

CABOT: "So we're still on to surveil the farm as soon as possible?"

ROGERS: "Probably a good idea, w'll have to get the ID's from Volkers box checked but we can leave that to other people I think."

KEEPER: The ID cards found in Volker's box all were false identites for Volker himself--all had his picture under different names and addresses.

Cabot pulls out his Barrett and begins disassembling it and cleaning it.

CABOT: "You know, I have some additional equipment in a couple storage units across the river in New Jersey that might be a good idea to retrieve before we move on the farm."

KEEPER: Kelley glances up. "What equipment?"

CABOT: "OICWs, another sniper rifle of less drastic caliber and, if my contacts came through, some non-lethal ordinance."

KEEPER: He raises his eyebrows and nods. "Outstanding." He goes back to checking his gear. "What's the plan? Two on initial recon, with the others standing by for a raid?"

ROGERS: "How long's it going to take you to get that stuff?"

CABOT: Keeper: Is this new safe house closer to the storage facility?

KEEPER: No, it's about an extra 20 minutes' drive.

CABOT: Keeper: So how long, round trip, are we looking at to retrieve the extra equipment?

KEEPER: Three hours at the outside.

CABOT: "Three hours, give or take. That's why I wanted to get there before the move, but circumstances and the Feds parked outside the other safehouse prevented it."

ROGERS: "How long to get to the farmhouse?"

Cabot pulls out the atlas and lays it out on a table.

KEEPER: One way trip to the farmhouse: about 200 minutes.

CABOT: "Little over three hours to get there. That's fine if we're looking at a night op, which may be wisest."

ROGERS: "So we're looking at a long trip here, anything we can get don in the city before heading there?" "I think we need to get cabot's supplies at the least."

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Can we get an airlift over there?"

KEEPER: "Or do we want one?"

ROGERS: "If it's a rural area helicopters are going to attract attention we could just use the rovers to get in close."

CABOT: "If you're looking at me providing fire support, yeah, we need to do that. The Barret's great, and with the depleted-Uranium rounds I can put a hole in an engine block or drop one of those helicopters you've been having problems with, but it leaves a pretty recognizable calling card. I'd at least like to have a smaller rifle for anti-personnel work."

CABOT: "I can put a call in to my case officer and see what can be arranged. Are there any rural airports in the area of the farm house?"

KEEPER: The nearest one is about thirty miles south of the farm.

ROGERS: "Look why don't we just use the time we have while your getting the stuff to go over the plans of the farm and see what we can come up with, when you get back we can drive down and have the cover of night to get in close. Got any nightvision goggles in that cache?"

CABOT: "This one'd do (pointing at the map) if you're okay with diverting there for the pickup. I don't think helicopter activity in the area will raise too many flags. Alot of city exec's have land out there and use private chopper services for commuting."

CABOT: "Yeah, and Starlite scopes for the long rifles, plus one for whoever'll be my spotter."

ROGERS: "yeah but if we do that we're stuck with out transport, why not arrange for one of us to drive the rover down and meet the chopper?"

ROGERS: "We have two ways out if anything fucks up then as well."

CABOT: "That's what I meant. The bird's just for relocating the plans. I didn't mean we were gonna rappel in on them."

CABOT: That's equipment, not plans.

ROGERS: "Ok so some of the team comes down with the equipment and some in the rover."

CABOT: "The less we use the Agency's flyboys in this the better. I'm only comfortable allowing them to move my stuff out there. I don't want them involved any deeper."

CABOT: "Sounds good."

KEEPER: Kelley says, "What happened to the DOJ pilot we requested, Rogers?"

CABOT: "The sooner I can get the stuff and get out there to establish a position, the better. My spotter and I'll be a hell of alot more effective if we get a good look at the place in daylight."

ROGERS: "OK so we do it like that then. I'll go with the Rover team, Kelly you want to come with me for a quick drive past during the day?"

Cabot eyes Kelley.

CABOT: "I don't want any DoJ people snooping around some of the equipment in that storage shed, I don't care whose buddies they are. If I go down with that stuff, the Agency's going to disown me and, if I survive, I'll never get work with them again."

LUNDQUIST: "So, Cabot, do you want to hit the storage shed and then chopper out to Pennsylvania while Rogers and I drive straight there?"

CABOT: "Let me make a call and see if any of this is even feasible."

Cabot pulls out his phone and looks at Danforth and Keen.

CABOT: "You guys sure we're secure here?"

LUNDQUIST: "Who's ever sure of anything? I have MEREDITH's word that this place is clean. If she's playing us, we're already fucked. So unfortunately we just sort of have to put our faith in her."

ROGERS: "I trust her as far as I can throw her."

LUNDQUIST: "Well, I think that's pretty generous, actually."

KEEPER: Kelley goes back to his gear while Cabot is on the phone.

KEEPER: Kelley says, "So we're not going for HRT or SpecOps support on this?" He looks up at Lundquist and Rogers.

ROGERS: "I wanted some support but get the impression that time is going to be a factor in this, how long to get some hard hitting support?"

LUNDQUIST: "Well, this is defintiely well out of my area of expertise. This assault on the farm is going to have to be left up to you snake-eatin types."

KEEPER: He nods. "That's a good point. We can call in official support pretty quickly if there's some likely justification. Covert support is a little trickier."

ROGERS: "If we go into that place we stand to loose a lot of people, anyway we could drug the people in there before hand maybe via the water supplies?"

LUNDQUIST: "I don't really want to leak something to the right people at FBI and let their HRT do this one without us. I want our people hitting the farm and getting a first look at anything we find there."

KEEPER: Kelley nods again, frowning. "Right. That means we either wait--or we take our chances on our own."

ROGERS: "If we take our chances we go in loaded for bear."

LUNDQUIST: "I think we'd better assume we're going to be facing a number of thoese superhuman 'enhanced' guys like we fought at Breckenridge."

KEEPER: Kelley nods, then chuckles. "Good policy."

ROGERS: "How many OICW's are in your Supply Cabot?"

ROGERS: "OK so lets take a straw poll who want to go in now as hard as possible?"

ROGERS: "Kelly?"

ROGERS: "Mr.L?"

KEEPER: "We won't know until we get some intelligence, do some reconnaisance. No way should we go in blind, no matter how much we love our new guns."

LUNDQUIST: "I agree with Kelley. This could get very ugly. We could easily lose somebody, especially if these supermen are there. Last time, we had all the backup in the world, and still got two of our people killed."

ROGERS: "Guess I'm having a mad moment then, ok so we get some intelligence then."

KEEPER: Cabot's still on the phone, while the others are talking.

KEEPER: Kelley nods grimly at Lundquist.

Cabot dials up on his phone.

KEEPER: The line rings four times, Cabot, before your contact picks up.

CABOT: "Good morning, this is Orrin. I'm in need of some logistical support."

CABOT: "I need some equipment transported by air to a small airport in upstate Pennsylvania." (looking at the map for the airport name)

CABOT: "I have a list of equipment located at the storage site established at the outset of this assignment that I need transported in civilian luggage by commercial helicopter to Bainborrough Regional Airport."

CABOT: "7 AN/PVS goggles, 5 OICW rifles with 500 rounds 5.56, 5 flame-thrower fuel cylinders, the M24 rifle and the pharmaceuticals I requested earlier along with three pistols capable of delivering the material."

Cabot looks at his watch.

ROGERS: "Ok so we need to go and get set up down there while your retriving this stuff then."

CABOT: "Not that I can see, it's a rural airport and I'll be in a new vehicle. The storage units are secure to the best of my knowledge. "

KEEPER: Kelley says, "We need to establish a staging area, close to the site, where the raid squad can stand by while the recon team infiltrates the area."

Cabot looks at JT, what time do you want to pick this stuff up at the airport?"

LUNDQUIST: "Kelley, Cabot, I don't suppose you have any spooky friends who owe you a favor that we could call in quietly for backup on this thing?"

ROGERS: "We can get to the airport when ever you eget there we'll take the rover down and familiarise ourselves with the roads down there."

CABOT: "I'm on loan to the Agency and work alone, sorry."

CABOT: What time is it now?

ROGERS: "We can always get some Of Kelly's aassociates now that we are watching the place for a few days, amybe the boss would have some people as well?"

CABOT: "Better get some people on their way to pick up new rentals."

KEEPER: It's about 11:15 AM

CABOT: (into phone) "Can this be arranged for pickup by 1500 today?"

CABOT: "That'll work. Oh, and I almost forgot. Two Ghillie (sp?) suits, too."

CABOT: "Yeah, that'll work."

CABOT: "No, I think that'll do it. 1500 then, give or take a half hour."

CABOT: "Orrin out."

Cabot folds up the cellular.

CABOT: "OK, we're set for an equippment pickup at the airport around 1500 today. If we get on the road now, we should get there shortly before that and have time to recon with any of the extra gear we need."

ROGERS: "Right then any thing else?"

CABOT: "You all heard the laundry list of what we're picking up? Any questions about any of it?"

KEEPER: "What pharmaceuticals will we have on hand?"

LUNDQUIST: "How much 20mm for the OICW's?"

CABOT: "Versid. It's a legitimate medical amnesiatic. Pump someone with it and they'll converse lucidly but not remember it twenty minutes later. 500 rounds."

LUNDQUIST: "All right. We ready to move then?"

KEEPER: Kelley looks up. "500 20mm shells?"

LUNDQUIST: (of course, what the legitimate medical use for an amnesiatic is escapes me...)

CABOT: "No, 500 5.56. Nothing heavier, it'll just draw attention."

KEEPER: (Makes life easier if painkillers don't work, IIRC.)

CABOT: "I'm set, how many vehicles are we taking?"

KEEPER: "We taking the whole team, or is Danforth staying here with his equipment?"

CABOT: "I'm not sure, I missed out on the planning while I was on the phone."

KEEPER: "Well, it would be nice to have another warm body in the field; but communications are going to be critical--do we want to take the chance of something going wrong here?"

KEEPER: Kelley and Cabot asked about planning. "Lundquist, Rogers? Do we bring Danforth, or leave him to keep the communications running?"

LUNDQUIST: "Well, what do you think? It might be nice to have another warm body on scene. And really, how essential is he back here?"

CABOT: "What's the objective of this op, anyway. Bugging the place, raiding it, what?"

KEEPER: "If everything stays in order, he's not. If something back here goes on the fritz and he's not here to fix it, we're screwed."

CABOT: "Or do you just want visiual and audio surveillence established?"

LUNDQUIST: "Like what? What can go on the fritz? We're not still seriously monitoring any of our bugs, right?"

CABOT: "You guys are the bosses here. I'm just tactical support. You tell me what you want tactically and I'll tell the best way I see to do it, butt he ball's in your court."

KEEPER: Kelley shrugs. "Odds are things will be fine back here. "

KEEPER: "So. We either have two recon teams, or one. With two teams, we can send Keen in solo, strictly surveillance, while Cabot and I go in with sniper gear as well."

CABOT: "If the objective is surveillance, Keen and Danforth are the key field personnel for this thing. Everyone else's just security baggage."

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Danforth's not an infiltrator. Keen, you can handle the electronics, right?"

KEEPER: Keen nods. "Sure. No problem."

CABOT: "You gonna need a mule to haul all your shit in?"

KEEPER: "How much shit are we talking about? One remote listening post, I can handle by myself. If you want to set up multiple points, the gear gets heavier."

CABOT: "Then give me Keen as a spotter again. He got a crash course in it last night. That frees you up to accompany Danforth and the others in."

KEEPER: "Sounds good."

CABOT: "Depending on what we find when we get there, the ability to provide cover from a distance may be severely limited and then only to targets outside of any structures. Two sniper hides could be a waste of man- and firepower."

ROGERS: "OK"

CABOT: "Any way we do it, Keen and I need to go in with the initial recon team to establish hide sites and look over the area in daylight for ranging and everything."

ROGERS: "So what about flying the chopper over the farm on the way o the airport?"

KEEPER: "True. That leaves a whole lot of the property without cover, though, unless we stick with remote cameras."

CABOT: "Let's see what we have when we get there. Without real intel on the place all this is speculative anyway."

KEEPER: Danforth says, "Give me an hour to set up for the cameras. How many are we going to work with?"

LUNDQUIST: "What about having an aircraft up high, where the farm's occupants won't be able to hear it, with a FLIR or long-range TV camera?"

CABOT: "I don't think buzzing the place is a wise idea, there are indications these people deal with high-speed ex-military operators. That'd sure as shit raise alarms in my head if I was one of 'em."

ROGERS: "Maybe some satellitle retasking? It's going to take time Mr.L."

LUNDQUIST: "That could watch the whole compound from one vantage point."

CABOT: "Well Mr. NSA, is that plausible or what?"

KEEPER: Danforth says, "Hey, I'm NSA, not NRO. You need to go higher than me to get a satellite."

ROGERS: "Maybe it's already been imaged we just need to access the data?"

CABOT: "i would think that that might attract a whole lot of people's attention in areas in which we don't really want to."

KEEPER: "That's where we got the first batch of pictures of the place."

CABOT: What do they show?

KEEPER: A thickly wooded stand of trees, covering several acres, with a one-acre clearing. The clearing contains a ranch house, a chicken barn and silo, and three large garage-style sheds.

ROGERS: "I was kidiing guys."

CABOT: How many roads or trails lead in and out?

KEEPER: One obvious road, a dirt road leading to the nearest paved street a half-mile away.

CABOT: And the silo is the highest point in the compound, I take it?

KEEPER: Yes

CABOT: Is there sufficient depth to the photo to determine if the silo is higher than the trees in the surrounding area?

KEEPER: It looks like it is.

LUNDQUIST: "Just measure the cast shadows."

CABOT: And is the ranch house single or multi-storey?

KEEPER: Two storeys. Looks like about six bedrooms.

CABOT: Spot Hidden for dogs or other animals in the photo.

KEEPER: You don't see any animals.

KEEPER: Even under the magnifying glass.

CABOT: "If there's chickens in that barn, they're a hell of an alarm system."

KEEPER: Kelley laughs.

CABOT: "Hey, better to laugh now than die later."

ROGERS: "Even worse if there are geese."

KEEPER: "If we see any of these assholes tossing feed to the birds like Farmer Bob, I want a picture of it."

CABOT: "Yeah, no shit. So what's the plan for the initial infiltration?"

CABOT: "Connor, what do you think you can accomplish on a short trip around the place?"

KEEPER: Danforth says, "Depends on how close we can get. Cameras won't show shit if they're back in the trees."

KEEPER: (Rob, make sure the room's not hidden/private)

CABOT: "Damn, this good get hairy. Kelley, you'd better go in with him, at least."

KEEPER: Kelley nods.

CABOT: "Well, let's hit the road and pick up our shit then see what there is to see."

KEEPER: They nod.

KEEPER: Kelley says, "Hey, Lundquist. What about that Marshal? The one you had guarding our first prisoner? You think he's friendly enough to help out?"

CABOT: "We can leave Knight here to look after the place."

LUNDQUIST: "He could be, if he's not all pissed off at me for getting him in trouble... Still, it can't hurt to give him a call, can it?"

KEEPER: Kelley shrugs. "Call Knight, too. Meantime, let's pack up and move out."

ROGERS: "OK so lets do it."

CABOT: I package the Barrett and shell box and load it up with the binoculars and spotter scope. Then check my sidearm and for an extra clip.

KEEPER: Moving ahead: you pack surveillance gear into two cars and hit the road. I'm assuming you put Cabot and Keen in one car, with Lundquist or Rogers as driver, and Kelley and Danforth in the other.

KEEPER: Knight agrees to babysit the safe house; the Deputy Marshal, Brenneman, is surprised to hear from you. He's on administrative leave, so he has plenty of free time. Lundquist, how are you phrasing your "invitation"?

LUNDQUIST: I'll keep it vague... We could use his help with an ongoing investigation; we need someone who's from outside our normal chain of command; he'd have to keep his mouth shut about it until it goes to trial.

LUNDQUIST: I'll also mention that there may be some risk involved. "No shame in not volunteering and all, you know."

KEEPER: Brenneman thinks about it for a moment, then he agrees to come along. "I'm already screwed up here, and I'm pissed at the way it's going down. You want some help to do something real, then I'm in."

LUNDQUIST: "All right then." I'll make meeting arrangements.

KEEPER: Four hours later: you reach the airport in Pennsylvania.

KEEPER: (Fade to: A Small Rural Airport.)

CABOT: I move into the lobby area and look for a cup of coffee, scanning the field for the helicopter.

KEEPER: Brenneman's with Lundquist's car. He's a short man, wiry, in good shape, maybe 120 pounds. His hands are calloused--Cabot, you'd guess from karate, a lot of it.

CABOT: I also scan the area for suspicious interested parties, making a Spot Hidden if necessary. Then move to shake hands with Brenneman.

CABOT: "Mike Cabot, welcome to our party."

KEEPER: He nods, sizing you up. "Glad to make it. Sounds like it might be a little interesting."

CABOT: "These boys have been known to throw a wild soiree' now and again."

CABOT: Any sign of the bird?

CABOT: (I whisper to Lund) "This guy's not gonna go apeshit when we break out the cannons, is he?"

LUNDQUIST: "Christ, how should I know? I'll prep him a bit." Louder: "Hey, Brenneman..."

CABOT: Cabot shakes his head.

KEEPER: Not yet. The airport is small, as you would expect, used mainly for small private aircraft, two or four-seater prop planes. It consists of a central tower/lobby and several large outlying hangars.

CABOT: Cabot puts a pinch of Copenhagen in his mouth and wanders around, keeping his eyes open.

KEEPER: There are all of three individuals in sight, including a ticket agent and a bored-looking teenager working concessions.

KEEPER: Brenneman nods to Lundquist. "What's up?"

LUNDQUIST: "Let's take a little walk and I'll fill you in."

KEEPER: "Sure thing." He follows.

LUNDQUIST: I tell him, basically, that we're here to check out a farm which is connected to the investigation in New York. We know the people responsible for the Breckenridge massacre operate here as well.

LUNDQUIST: We're going to check it out, see what's going on, and gather evidence. If we see criminal activity in progress, however, like destruction of evidence, we may make a move.

KEEPER: He looks surprised. "This is a pretty small squad."

LUNDQUIST: We suspect that that may be going on since their HQ in New York got blown.

LUNDQUIST: "Yeah, well, we don't want to do anything like that unless we have to. And in that case, we're liable to call in the cavalry rather than do it ourseleves."

LUNDQUIST: "But just in case things go sour on us, we're going to be ready. We're going to go in all kitted out and have a sniper on overwatch too.

LUNDQUIST: "Just wanted to let you know what the game plan was."

KEEPER: Brenneman listens and nods, Lundquist. "Well, tell me where you want me."

LUNDQUIST: "Will do."

KEEPER: You all hear helicopter rotors approaching.

CABOT: I move to the windows, coffee cup in hand.

ROGERS: "Ok showtime."

CABOT: "Let me go make sure everything's as planned."

KEEPER: You see an ordinary-looking commercial helicopter approach and descend.

Cabot walks out on the tarmac.

ROGERS: "Let's go then."

CABOT: As the rotors wind-down, I approach the helicopter.

KEEPER: The side door slides open and a man in a grey business suit hops down, shielding his eyes against the sun and wind. He watches Cabot's approach and waits.

CABOT: I approach, hand extended. "You guy's have my luggage?"

KEEPER: He shakes your hand. "Affirmative." He turns to the helicopter, and another man inside shoves several crates out to you.

CABOT: I turn and wave for the others to bring the vehicles up. Grabbing the first crate, I lower it to the ground. "My old lady, she sure do pack heavy."

Rogers helps cabot with the crates

KEEPER: The men both smile. "I know how it is." They hand another crate out. "First it's the dinnerware... then it's the china... then it's the silver..."

KEEPER: Rogers, your shoulder throbs mightily after the first crate.

ROGERS: "Umm actually someone else miight want to do this."

CABOT: I grab the crate from JT.

LUNDQUIST: I grab a lightweight-looking box and carry it off.

KEEPER: They bring the cars around and load them off. The last crate is off the chopper, and the men climb back aboard. "You boys take care," the first one waves.

CABOT: Once all of the "luggage" is off-loaded, I reach in my pocket and pull out a five, smiling, handing it to the guys. "Thanks for the help!"

KEEPER: He takes it, laughs, and slides the door shut. The chopper lifts off again once everyone's clear.

CABOT: (To the others) "All right, let's get situated. Daylight's wasting."

LUNDQUIST: "Lead on."