Even with Syrus tagging along for the ride, the flight to Timber was long and uneventful. All around the two of them, the other SeeDs chattered back and forth over their next assignment; some were keen to get to grips with the Galbadians, while others were grateful to have been assigned to a backwater like Timber. Duncan privately suspected that someone would be disappointed on this one... With his mission plan in place and the objectives he had been given, he was well aware of how much blood the team would be spilling. If Timber was peaceful now, that wouldn't last long once SeeD arrived. He was pulled from his thoughts by a sudden change in air pressure causing his ears to pop. A burst of static came through his personal communicator. [b]'Sir, we are approaching your drop point. Stealth systems are engaged, but we can't guarantee local defences haven't spotted us; look out for company out there. Godspeed.'[/b] Preferring to answer the pilot with only a confirmatory comclick, Duncan was nevertheless grateful for the thought. Nodding to Syrus, he jumped from the low-flying airship, confident that he wouldn't need to slow his decent magically; they were only a few feet up after all. Once again the trip to Timber via the city aqueduct and sewer system was mostly silent as Duncan took the lead, prioritising stealth over speed.

By the time they reached the safehouse in the warehouse district, the others had already arrived. Duncan strode into the building without preamble and took the time to explore every nook and cranny; they wouldn't be here long, but for safeties sake he needed every scrap of information. It was an old Timber Army air raid shelter extending under pair of civilian warehouses... Judging by the outdated fixtures and design, it must have been designed well before the fall of Timber seventeen years earlier. Despite being obsolete, that could be considered a good thing; it likely wouldn't be on many modern maps of the town. To be frank, it was fucking ugly. Solid concrete construction and metal supports didn't leave much room for comfort. After leaving the team an hour to get settled in and pick sleeping quarters, Duncan called everyone to what he decided would be the briefing room in the centre of the sprawling complex. [b]'... Well boys and girls, we're here. There isn't a whole lot to do now, bar securing the building and prepping for the contact to show up tonight.'[/b] A stray thought stuck. [b]'Oh yeah... Trinser and Joranis, you... fuck, I hate using surnames. [i]Gracelyn[/i] and [i]Jericho.[/i] You guys are in charge of provisions.'[/b] He nodded cheerfully toward the camouflaged entrance to the city which led to a public toilet of all places. [b]'Bring me back a Mars bar, will you?'[/b]