[CENTER][img]https://i.imgur.com/Rk6rkQs.png[/img][/CENTER][COLOR=AD4500][indent][sub][B]Location:[/B] [COLOR=BLACK][I]Al-Doha,[/I] - [I]Qurac[/I][/COLOR][/sub][sup][right][b]A H.I.V.E. Mind #1.01:[/b] [COLOR=BLACK][I]What's the Buzz?[/I][/COLOR][/right][/sup][/indent][/color][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][color=AD4500][sub][B]Interaction(s):[/B] [COLOR=BLACK][I]None[/I][/COLOR][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][b]Previously:[/b] [URL=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5358609][COLOR=black][I]None[/I][/COLOR][/URL][/right][/SUP][/color]
[INDENT][COLOR=GRAY][COLOR=WHITE]"So..."[/COLOR] The silence was broken by the youngest member of Team 7. Not a word had been spoken amongst them since the team had entered the Quraci port city of Al-Doha.

[COLOR=WHITE]"...This is Qurac..."[/COLOR] Caitlin's voice trailed off as her eyes darted back and forth across the open back of the truck. Looking beyond her teammates, she scanned the poverty-stricken streets on either side of what felt to be an ancient vehicle. Her attempt at an ice breaker had been barely audible over the engine that seemingly must have been operating since the military coup had initially taken power in the wake of the Second World War.

[color=white]"Streets look almost empty without the enforcers I remember seeing on every corner."[/color] The response came from the opposite side of the truck bed. 

[color=white]"I definitely don't miss the sight of their AK-47s"[/color] Turning to the source of the voice, Caitlin realized it had been none other than Wintergreen who had added his own thoughts over the din of the engine. The neatly trimmed mustache that decorated his face emphasized his grin as a shared groan came from some of the other members of the team. 

[color=white]"Got [i]another[/i] history lesson for us, gramps?"[/color] Eveyln dryly retorted from her seat in the back of the truck. She, and the team, full well knew that Wintergreen was about to launch into another one of his service stories. Though Evelyn would never admit it, the marksman often enjoyed Wintergreen's various stories and info dumps. It did, however, get exhausting hearing a story every time A.R.G.U.S. deployed the team. The Brit had seemingly been everywhere.

[color=white]"Up until thirteen years ago, Qurac was ruled by a military dictatorship that had taken control after the British lost power over the country amidst the end of the Second World War."[/COLOR] Wintergreen lectured, his smile growing wider with each word. [color=white]"But in 20-"[/COLOR]

[color=white]"In 2009, the people revolted and overthrew their former dictator leading to the first democratically elected government in Qurac history."[/color] Interrupted the voice of Dr. Isherman. While Evelyn and Caitlin may not have heard all of Wintergreen's history lessons before, Ish had and he was more than certain that the silent man sitting across from him had not only heard every story but even served alongside Wintergreen through many of them, including this one.

Turning his attention away from the conversation, the man in question, Lieutenant Colonel Slade Wilson, looked at the woman sitting beside him. Angelica seemed oblivious to the conversation whilst sharpening one of the long blades she kept sheathed on her back. Despite her seemingly absent mind, Slade knew better than to assume she wasn't aware of her surroundings. Instead, he knew Angelica was more than likely entering a meditative state to better prepare herself for the mission ahead. Next to Wintergreen, there was no one else on the team that Slade would rather have watching his back.

[color=white]"Having a President hasn't magically fixed anything,"[/COLOR] The voice came from beside Caitlin, catching Slade's attention. Turning his head, Slade listened as Kurt continued to speak. 

[color=white]"Quraci society is still heavily segregated between those who have and those who have-not. You can see a lot of influence from the caste system in its society and nearly seventy years under a dictatorship sure as hell didn't help anything."[/COLOR]

[color=white]"Especially not with Bialya."[/COLOR] Slade added, bringing the conversation back to the reason why there were over seven thousand miles from home. 

The relationship between Qurac and Bialya had been tense since the fall of the Ottoman Empire but things seem to take a particular turn after the Second World War when Sulieman's regime put Qurac under its dictatorship. The Bialyan Monarchy in particular had always desired the land which made up the neighbouring nation. As a coastal nation, Qurac had more influence over trade and imports than the Kingdom of Bialya desired. The two nations had remained locked in a cold war for over seventy years, though recent reports indicated that Bialya might be making the moves to ensure the two nations entered open warfare.

That's where [i]they[/i] came in.

The seventh iteration of A.R.G.U.S.' International Operations Intervention and Response Spec-Ops Unit, or simply; [b]Team 7[/b]. Reporting directly to Amanda Waller herself, Team 7 was overseen by Field Director Adeline Kane-Wilson. While taking orders from his ex-wife was hardly the dream job that Slade had in mind, it beat sitting behind a desk. The experiment that gave him his abilities also effectively ruined his career with the U.S. Military. Thankfully, Waller recognized their mistake and A.R.G.U.S. gained a new asset.

[color=white]"I'm not complaining that we're here,"[/color] Caitlin piped up again, [color=white]"I just don't understand why send in a covert team when Iron Man could do a fly-by and quell the conflict?"[/color]

[color=white]"Because,"[/color] A smirk crossed Slade's face as the woman beside him broke her silence, [color=white]"We get things done."[/COLOR]

Angelica's words almost seemed to cut through the air, highlighting the tension between the team. It didn't help particularly when her words were followed by Slade nodding his agreement. While most of the world knew the names of the 'Avengers' or the 'Justice League', Team 7 was on a need-to-know basis. They didn't stand around to take photo-ops of getting kittens out of trees or do interviews with the local news. Unlike the 'superheroes' that people worshipped, Team 7 took care of problems [i]before[/i] they happened. 

There was no knowledge of their operations because as far as the world was concerned, they didn't exist.

[color=white]"Simply put, the problems we deal with,"[/color] Slade started, adding his own thoughts onto Angelica's, [color=white]"Don't escape through a revolving door every month. When A.R.G.U.S. calls us, it's not to '[i]avenge[/i]' a problem."[/color] Holstering the pistol he was cleaning, Slade began to stand as the vehicle came to stop.

[color=white]"It's to terminate it."[/color]

Slinging his bags over his shoulder, Slade exited the vehicle, quickly flanked by Angelica and Wintergreen. The rest of the team followed suit, with Caitlin being the last to exit the truck. The girl thanked their driver, her naivety never failing to surprise Slade. It was a good thing Fairchild was able to catch a tank round like it was a baseball, Slade wasn't sure she'd stay alive otherwise.

Due to the rising tensions with Bialya, the truck had only been able to take Team 7 so far. The border was still a few miles due west of their current position.

[color=white]"It'd be best to wait until dark,"[/color] Slade stated, [color=white]"Rest here, check your gear. You know the drill."[/color]

[color=white]"You realize they make double the rounds at night right?"[/color] Ish responded, [color=white]"Even with the cover of darkness, that doesn't give us a whole lot of opportunity to get through."[/color]

[color=white]"Wintergreen?"[/color] Motioning with his head for the other man to speak, Slade directed the team's attention towards their British comrade. Leaning back against the idle truck, Wintergreen chomped down on a fresh cigar. In one fluid movement, he cut the end and lit it, taking a few quick drags before exhaling a ring of smoke towards the team.

[color=white]"Trust me lads, I've got one hell of a plan."[/color] [/color][/INDENT][/INDENT]
[color=AD4500][SUP][table][row][/row][row][cell][color=#2c2c2c]- -[/color][COLOR=2C2C2C][b]First Issue:[/b][/COLOR] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5358609][COLOR=2C2C2C][I]What's the Buzz?[/I][/COLOR][/url][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][center][B]Next Issue:[/B] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5359504][COLOR=black][I]That Stings A Little[/I][/COLOR][/url][color=#2e2c2c]-[/color][/center][/cell][cell][color=2c2c2c]-[/color][/cell][cell][INDENT][right][b]Latest Issue:[/b] [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5360952][COLOR=black][I]A Sticky Situation[/I][/COLOR][/url][/right][/INDENT][/cell][/row][/table][/SUP][/color]