A grin came across Simon's face as the lights began to go out and the fire fight began. The plan had suffered a few set backs, the police picking up the overzealous bomber, had caused a need for more stealth than was previously thought, the second being that the recent arrest had sapped the confidence of some of the leaders of the various splinter factions making it necessary to 'persuade' some to agree to this, but eventually they did. The amount of discipline they lacked was incredible, but after supplying them with a few military grade weapons they were all to willing to assault what was going to be the most secure building for the night. But they were doing their job and distracting the guards and drawing attention to themselves, most of them probably wouldn't make it out, but that just meant less competition in the long run. The Shadow Hunt team moved quickly, moving in behind the quickly forming skirmish lines, moving from shadow to shadow and alley to alley. 

Quickly reaching the backdoor to the restaurant the team spread out, each silently making their way forward. Each of the officers that were left to guard the back, after the rest had gone off to fight the others, began to fall noiselessly to slit throats or suppressed bullet wounds as the masked shadows made their way to the door. Opening it slowly they dispatched the officers in the kitchen and slowly crept to the entrance to the dining room proper. After motioning with his hand, they all flipped off the night vision goggles, and pulled a grenade from each of their belts. Pulling the pins they ll tossed them into the room, at differing lengths, and shut their eyes. After a few blinding flashes and deafening bangs, all of the Assassin's eyes flew open and each activated their night vision before quickly setting about their grim work. Storming into the room, suppressed gunshots dropped any armed guard, leaving the blinded reporters alone. Continuing their grim work the Hunters cut towards the head table. 

Upon reaching it Simon began to look around at the figures that were now coming out of the effects of the Flash-bangs. [i]"He's not here, a shame."[/i] he thought to himself as he saw the Mayor wasn't among the cowering figures [i]"At least their is always plan B"[/i] Marching behind the table he grabbed a few people and yanked them back to look at their face. He did this until he found who he needed, the confused and slightly whimpering face of the Dep. director of the ASF. Hauling him to his feet, simon made a show of dusting off the confused man's jacket. "P-p-please dont kill me" he stammered into the dark 

"Now, now. Not to worry" Simon reassured the man "I have no intention of killing you, as of this moment, that would cause too much... stress too early. Now what I do need you to do, is give this to your mayor when you meet him next." He handed over a thin envelope, the contents of which were only a thin piece of paper that read in flowing script [i]Death is not the worst that can happen to men.[/i]. Taking it the man nodded frantically to the figure he could barely see "Good man. Now I must apologize for this next part, it's going to be a bit... uncomfortable." Grabbing the man's hand he slammed it to the table, and pulled out his knife. Cutting quickly he removed the mans right middle finger. 

"Why!!" the man screamed as he clutched the bleeding appendage 

"To reinforce the message in that envelope" Simon said calmly as he reached over and took a bucket that contained ice and a champagne bottle, set the bottle outside the bucket and dropped the finger, wrapped in a napkin, into the ice. Standing he left the man and moved to the front door, the sounds of battle were winding down outside, a clear indicator to leave, as he gather his team one of them dragged a body over "Hey S1, you might want a look at this." The body was that of one of the armed waiters , Simon looked over it to see what was different about it from other undercover guards. That was when he saw the O. Leaning down he examined the symbol closely, [i]"Very interesting"/i] Simon mused as he looked over the symbol "Are any of these guards still alive?" 

"That one actually" the agent said as he gave him a slight kick "Barely too, by the looks of it if we leave him here he'll die from blood loss."

"That's no good, I want to... talk to him. Were taking him with us." Simon ordered as he moved back to the back entrance. When he and his team, including one who had the guard thrown over one of his shoulders reached the entrance, Simon flicked on his radio. "Watcher this is S1, we are ready to leave. Mind clearing our dance card and getting the others out of here?" 

"Certainly, S1. Wait one." The sound of detonation after detonation filled the air as the small explosives, quietly placed in the camera poles lining the street for blocks detonated. "S1, I do have good news and bad news to report." 

"Whats the good news first." Simon said as they continued down the path they came in on

"Well sir B team was able to thermite at least 3 of the walkers that have been patrolling our part of town."

"What's the bad news?"

Watcher hesitated before answering, as if she was unsure of how to continue "Sir, Jenson and Andra were caught a couple times by some ASF gunfire, Andra's armor saved her life but Jeson is currently in critical condition, the Doc is looking him over but..." 

Simon sighed, that was a new wrinkle that he didn't need, a much larger one than the Mayor. "Understood Watcher S1 out." As they reached their escape vehicles, all different cars and artificially marked up he stopped "Take sleeping beauty to W-4, sweep him for bugs and trackers on your way there. If he has any subdermal trackers, cut them out attach them to a stray cat or bird and let it loose." nodding their understanding, three members of the team iled into one vehicle and sped off. Simon moved to his vehicle and went his own way back to base, making sure to keep from looking too conspicuous, or too obvious.