[CENTER][url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5292628][img]https://images2.imgbox.com/b5/4f/8JkzOeYn_o.png[/img][/url] [sub][i]Starring...[/i][/sub] [h3][color=ff2020]Scarlet Rubashka[/color] as [color=ff2020][i]Punished "Venom Bean"[/i][/color][/h3] [hider=Interactions] [@Kumbaris] [@13org] [@BigPapaBelial] [/hider] [sup]_______________________________________________[/sup][/center] Scarlet grunted as Amanda continued to patch her up, though if she's gonna be honest with herself, she did like the pat on the head. No one ever gave her headpats, ever. It felt strange, but nice. Scarlet cracked a small smile to Amanda before turning to Faye. [color=ff2020]"Hey, don't mention it. Contract also has a non-disclosure stipulation."[/color] She winked to Faye, indicating her rather terrible joke. [color=ff2020]"In all seriousness, it's just what I do. I'm just glad we all made it out in one piece."[/color] She looked over to her shoulder wound. [color=ff2020]"Well, erm... most of us, anyway."[/color] Logically speaking, the homunculus should easily be able to bounce back from this. With the right applications of spells, bandages and biological cleaning agents, Scarlet would be well on her way to being good as new. It would still take time for everything to fully heal, but like usual, by the next day, she should be back in the action. Amanda gave the team a half hour break, to which Scarlet immediately used to get everything reorganized. Retrieving her weapons (chiefly the Glock she lent Michael) as well as some of her other things she had laying around. She handed her used ballistic plates over to some of the staff, who were quick to replace them with the similar enchanted ones she used. She did everything that was required of her while she was there. She filled out all of the forms, gave her report to the OMR officers (leaving out the mole bit of course), and filled her Frankfurt contact in on what's going on (as much as she safely could). And just like last time, she shared her honest opinions on the matter, and how all of this is [i]way[/i] above her paygrade. Of course, her contact reminded her of the contract's rewards, and Scarlet remained quiet. After exchanging a few more important details, they hung up and Scarlet was able to join the rest of the group. --- Scarlet was the last to enter the room, like usual. Arriving a minute later than the rest, she gave Michael a tired smile and a gentle pat on the shoulder, quickly taking her place up against the wall. She wore a light gray t-shirt this time around, and had her plate carrier on again. With her tactical bag of holding on her left and her Glock holstered on her right, her demeanor urged an almost paranoid caution. Once Amanda congratulated them on their tenacity and the fact that they were able to make it through that situation by the skin of their teeth, Scarlet released an exhausted sigh. She knew that they weren't out of the woods yet, and with her adrenaline high long gone, she was really in the mood to pass out onto a bed right about now. Amanda made it pretty clear that they are at a bit of a Morton's Fork with their investigation. The mole presents a clear and present threat to the investigation, and would [i]severely[/i] hamper any attempts made to do almost [i]anything.[/i] Whoever this was, was clearly working for a group with access to an expensive arsenal of weapons, armor, vehicles, costumes and personnel. [i]Paramilitaries[/i], Scarlet called them. And not the ordinary kind she fought either. They were far better equipped and a bit more skilled than the Serbian death squads she went up against months ago. And those Serbians were tough as nails. [i]"That would explain a lot about how they were able to find and corner us so easily!"[/i] Scarlet turned briefly to Faye and nodded. [color=ff2020]"Yeah. There was no way anyone could stage a disguised ambush like that and have several kill-squads on standby without having a [i]lot[/i] of insider information."[/color] Scarlet sighed. [color=ff2020]"I'd have to agree with Amanda on this one. This mole's a dangerous motherfucker."[/color] However, there was also the lead that Faye tracked, the portal location that brought them here in the first place. Going there could potentially blow the whole operation open, and potentially result in some rather intense firefights. Having already been in some intense firefights, Scarlet could use something a little [i]'low effort'[/i] as Amanda put it. Scarlet thought long and hard about it as the other two responded with their answers. Scarlet listened to Faye's response, and Faye brought up a rather interesting point. The mole who sent the kill squads after them, as well as the folks behind the weapons smuggling in general, could very well be the [i]same group[/i]. And just like that, it all clicked in Scarlet's little head. Spoken Russian languages, as well as teams and intel in Belarus. Soviet-bloc weaponry updated to modern standards, highly skilled paramilitaries that operated with similar tactics to the skilled mercenaries that Scarlet herself has worked with. The funding to gain access to an expensive arsenal of weapons, armor, vehicles, costumes and personnel. They were going up against the conspiracy itself, and they were throwing everything they reasonably could at them. And that could only mean one thing. They were getting [i][b]close.[/b][/i] Scarlet took a moment to think all of this out. Faye then brought up a suggestion, and Scarlet took the moment to listen. She also brought up a rather good point. If they were going to go into the portal, in order to have the element of surprise, they would indeed have to go radio silent and maybe even go rogue. Scarlet hummed quietly in thought before nodding to Faye. [color=ff2020]"That would be a good idea, on paper. I would've suggested the same thing, actually."[/color] Scarlet said before taking a deep breath. [color=ff2020]"But then I remembered what happened literally two hours ago. Not to be rude, but we almost got [i]slaughtered[/i] when we acted on our own. Amanda had to bail us out of that situation, and we were lucky enough to make it back here before the enemy brought explosives to the table."[/color] Scarlet said. [color=ff2020]"And that was just us four going up against a small contingent of paramilitaries. If it's just the four of us, just [i]us,[/i] without any support, storming the enemy base filled with unknown quantities of personnel and defenses, it's just suicide. Plain and simple."[/color] Scarlet sighed before leaning her head up against the wall. [color=ff2020]"I've said this before, and I'll say it again. Nowhere in my contract does it say that I have to die. And I don't plan on it."[/color] She said softly. [color=ff2020]"To be honest, I only signed on for this job just to pay off my debts. That's all that this really was. I'm not a sworn agent like you guys. Hell, I'm still technically a civilian."[/color] Scarlet groaned, sighing again. [color=ff2020]"Fuck me, this whole thing's gone out of control..."[/color] She bumped her ahead up against the wall a few times. After a few moments of silence, she took a deep breath and sighed again. [color=ff2020]"I'm with Mikey on this one. If my vote counts for anything, I say we go after the mole. If we interrogate them, they might point us to a lead that hasn't been cleaned up yet, or at least set us on the right path to where we need to go. They might even unravel their whole information network as well, in the process."[/color] Scarlet smirked a little. [color=ff2020]"Just do me a favor and don't interrogate them without me. Watching that rat bastard [i]squirm[/i] would be more entertaining than anything they have on Pay-Per-View."[/color] Scarlet stretched. [color=ff2020]"The bad guys may be able to clean up their locations after this, but if we get more leads [i]and[/i] take out the information leak in one fell swoop, we may be able to take on the conspiracy with the full might of the OMR at our backs. Tactical teams, helicopter support, all of that. And with that kind of support, we could accomplish our objectives without having to get slaughtered in the process."[/color] She yawned a little. [color=ff2020]"I'm also with Mikey. Regardless of what we do, contract says I gotta stick with y'all. And... I'd also like some rest too. Today's been a long fuckin' day."[/color]