[color=lightgreen][center][h3][i][b]Day 1: 21:32:05 Babuskha's House (Oksana's Grandmother) Somewhere outside the village of Pristupin, Libor Province Republic of Polavia Magazines: Loaded[/b][/i][/h3][/center][/color] [center][b][h3][i]Rowan Morgana[/i][/h3][/b][/center][hr] [quote]Oksana:[color=39b54a]”I am not dead set on a city so much as a comfortable place to sleep that is clean, has modern plumbing and a lack of nasty smells.”[/color] Borys: [color=0072bc]“Modern plumbing? So ‘You picked the wrong country, Morgana.’” Borys called over with a laugh, repeating Oksana’s words.[/color][/quote] Rowan looked over at Borys and raised an eyebrow.[color=#39FF14] “What part of my previous answer was not understandable? I was being hunted by Reactor and the DSR. I got word they had posted a big bounty on my head and they were looking hard for any member of my team. The resulting political fallout between Kalan and the DSR was massive. They are both looking for an escape goat to blame. I like my head… attached. Polavia was closer and quicker to get too.” [/color] Rowan had gone back to setting out her gear as she heard Oksana and Borys’ comments about her grandmother. [quote]Oksana: [color=39b54a]”She'll be fine. She survived eighty years of oppression. They'll get their ears talked off.”[/color] Borys: [color=0072bc]“That doesn’t mean she has to suffer more. Don’t you think she’s been through enough?” Borys countered Oksana’s words, honestly a little bit disgusted with her callousness toward her Babushka.[/color][/quote] Rowan smiled as she agreed with Borys. [color=#39FF14][i]Who didn’t like old women who invited them into their home and fed them?[/i] [/color]She went back to getting her gear organized and ready. She snickered as she heard Oksana and Borys bickering like siblings. This time over him being too drunk. His reply to Oksana that he didn’t want to be sober made her snicker. She sighed as she knew being inebriated and trying to make potions was a bad combination. She had tried it once. She had woken up in the potion lab at Reactor headquarters where a chameleon potion had gone wrong. It had exploded all over the lab. The walls that had been splashed with the potion were an ugly dirty bubble gum pink color with moving mutuating spots over that changed colors from puce green to sunset orange with changing patterns and stripes in them. It was a nauseating effect. She had been covered in the same colors. It had taken a week for her to figure out how to negate the potion since she didn’t remember what had gone wrong. She swore never to create potions again while drunk. [hr] Rowan was sipping on her own home brew tea as the briefing droned on when Borys interrupted Felix this time. [quote] [color=0072bc]Borys: “One ward-carrying cop and we’re fucked even with false identities. They know our faces, the forged papers will have to rely on changed appearance to be effective here in the first place.” Borys pointed out a hole in Felix’ plan that he thought saw, probably not helping the shapeshifter’s situation by being yet another voice that interrupted his briefing instead of waiting for him to finish. “Might as well work the underworld connection angle and get smuggled out or take the train as the first option and only use forged papers to disappear once we’re abroad.” Likely in motherfucking Liboli, he thought glumly to himself, almost reaching for the wine at the thought. [/color][/quote] Rowan’s brow furled as she realized that Borys had a point. They were going through this for potentially nothing. She sighed. She was kind of done by this point. She was just ready to get on with the next part of the plan. She didn’t think they had a good plan but rehashing the same shit was not going to get them anywhere. As the meeting wrapped up she gave Borys one of her bottles of wine. It had to be leagues above what they had been served in the local pub. [quote] [color=0072bc]Borys: Taking the bottle from Rowan, Borys pulled the cork out with his teeth and took a sip to sample. He reckoned the whole bottle would last him for maybe two useful inebriations and it was sweet enough to work as a fly trap, but it would do. “You are now my favorite person on the team.” he chuckled, clapping Rowan on the shoulder.[/color][/quote] Rowan gave Borys a warm smile. It made her feel better to have her effort noted and appreciated. She winked at him as she went about double checking she had everything. Rowan had asked Oksana how they would recognize the former security apparatus. Oksana’s answer was lacking. [quote][color=39b54a]Oksana: "When you see them, you'll know. Somehow, I feel I might refer to that later." Oksana chuckled, sipping away more of the cup of tea, and putting the cup back on the tray, ready to go back inside to Babushka once they were on the way out. She wasn't unclean or anything.[/color][/quote] [hr] [color=lightgreen][center][h3][i][b]Day 2: 00:23:02 Grestin Monastery, Somewhere overlooking the the village of Pristupin, Libor Province, Republic of Polavia [/b][/i][/h3][/center][/color] [color=gold][center][h1][i][b]Act One: Regroup[/b][/i][/h1][/center][/color] [color=gold][center][h2][i][b]Part Two: Running for the Train[/b][/i][/h2][/center][/color] Rowan had her broom attached to a special tactical sling that kept it slung across her back until she needed it. It kept it out of her way. Riding it when she didn’t need to would drain her mana. She might need that for the fight ahead. So she sullenly made her way through the heavy wet moldy muddy forest with the rest of them. She was doing her best to be quiet. She was a trained operative but she would never be that operative that could blend into the forest like Oksana could. The team was spread out as they made their way forward. Rowan was in the front with Felix. She had taken a potion that helped to silence her footsteps. Her head was on the swivel as she did her best to scout out what was ahead and stay alert for any activity around the old church they were headed towards. Rowan could feel Silas’ presence behind her as a solid backup. He seemed to emanate a trustworthy aura. Maybe she was projecting because he was a healer. Roxie and Borys were bringing up the rear. They were making decent time and while leaving tracks behind them, they were moving fairly quietly for such a large group. Felix's words had Rowan tensing as her eyes focused on the ruins ahead as they emerged from the forest ahead of them. Rowan nodded as followed along with Felix. She was careful not to brush the branches to make noise. Rowan remained silent as the team moved into position. She took a position along the stone wall with Silas on one side and Felix on the other. She picked a position that would give her a good view down the cliff towards the train station and town. She was careful to stay behind the wall and kneeled so that just her head would show over the wall. She mumbled silently to herself with her hand on the handle of her whip as she casted a farsight spell and a distance hearing spell on herself so she could keep better tabs on what was happening below. Rowan followed the action below. Rowan saw a large group of men obviously trained as mercenaries of some sort. They moved like a cross between military men and thugs. They didn’t carry themselves like law enforcement. They lacked a stiff spine and something in their bearing that set law enforcement apart from mercs. The witch that she had faced off with at the pub was being dragged out of a house by the group of men. Rowan continued to watch and listen as things deteriorated quickly. Felix questioned what group he was seeing and Roxie answered. [quote] [color=39b54a]Roxie: "Rowan....[b]THAT[/b], is Security Apparatus. Leather coats, black, olive tactical gear, yellow and red insignia. Every story you read is true. Secret police that ruled this land creating fear on behalf of the regime...formerly, at least. Why the fuck they are back in numbers I don't know. Real experts at wards, too. Everyone, be real careful." Oksana uttered, in shock she'd seen this many of them out.[/color] [/quote] Rowan kept watching as more men showed up. One of them appeared to be a leader who stepped out of a fancy BMW. Rowan got the gist of what she was seeing and why Roxie was losing her shit. These were remnants of the famed secret police who were thought to be disbanded. Then why were they here in such numbers and so well equipped. Rowan watched as the ugly heavy set man as a shiver ran down her spine in an almost primal warning. [i][color=#39FF14]She would never want to be in that man’s control. Rowan began noting targets as she panned across what she could see happening on the streets below. There were more targets than they had planned on. More well trained targets at that. She frowned as she noted that they had not hesitated to kill law enforcement officers that kept the peace in the little town. That meant they had backing from really high in their government or didn’t fear the government. [/color][/i] Rowan felt a deep growing fear as the interrogation commenced. Rowan was not the most moral person in the world. But she had some lines she wouldn’t cross. You didn’t pull children into politics and war. She knew it happened but she felt war should be left to the professionals and innocents should be off limits. Rowan thought to herself that the man was a world class douchebag right there. Threatening the man’s family for something he might not have any control over. She was with Oksana about killing the man. She continued to listen. [quote] [color=ed1c24]"Well, Oly-fuck-tard-ov, Rowan Morgana must be found, because if the DSR sent a team for her, and she happens to be on the run, she must fucking know about Manticore. She's a loose, loose end we do not need right now. And she's magically fucking appeared [b]here[/b], without a glyph. Find her. And bring her, to me. Preferably in one piece, I'll take many and we'll put her back together until she croaks. Search every house. One of the yokel fucks will know where she is after the mess her team made. Kill them once they tell you. Or you will join her as a loose end." Prigo didn't fuck around.[/color] [/quote] Rowan felt cold fear run down her back turning her blood to ice. Anyone watching Rowan would see her pale as she listened to what was happening even as face showed her growing confusion. She frowned in confusion. [color=#39FF14][i]He was looking for her? What the hell was Manticore? It had to be connected to her last mission. She had no fucking idea what the hell Manticore was about[/i]. [/color] Felix turned and glared at her as he said: [color=fff200]"Oh, fuck right off....really?" [/color] Rowan thought his comment was directed at her. She glared right back at him trying to keep her voice low not wanting to attract any attention. [color=#39FF14]“They obviously didn’t know I was even here till I met up with that DSR team sent to get you! I have no idea what the hell Manticore is. This has to be related to that fucking botched mission in Kalan. I told you Kalan had the whole fucking country looking for me. Then I made it back to the DSR and learned they were looking for me too. So I fled as quickly as I could and headed for the nearest border, Polavia. Now here we are in the middle of this cluster fuck! Don’t look at me like that. I already told you about this.” [/color] As Rowan was telling off Felix and answering Oksana’s questions the witch was being tortured for answers. Then the Oksana and Felix were going back and forth about whether to intervene or not. Rowan once again felt like a spectator at a tennis match as Felix and Oksana argued back and forth. Their argument was hushed and you could hear the sounds of heavy caliber bullets as it sounded like her team was coming back for her. Then it resumed on whether they should use her team as a distraction to leave or to take action. [quote] [color=fff200]Felix: "Do we look like we're equipped to fight a platoon and a half of Security Apparatus, and now, also cross-fight DSR special forces that now want us all dead, so we can join the locals? You fucking in a K-Hole? Observe and wait. We might be able to make this work." Felix replied, as he kept an eye on Rowan, his opinion changing from seeing the wholesome witch to some sort of criminal that was on his level. If she was wanted by him, he didn't want to ask quite what that meant.[/color] [/quote] Rowan met Felix’s eyes with a glare. She could sense his judgement and it fueled her anger. She glared at him as that anger was building. You could almost feel the gathering power in her as her hand tightened on the handle of her whip. The sound of running footsteps and gunfire close by took her attention away from Felix. Even as Felix gave orders. [quote] [color=fff200]Felix: "Everyone, don't fucking move. Contacts, immediate east. About a dozen of them. New plan, fight our way out and run." Felix whispered, getting back in cover with Rowan, behind the wall.[/color] [/quote] Rowan did not agree but she didn’t have any other choices right now. [i][color=#39FF14]Felix was right about what they were up against. If they could take out all of the SA here, then more would come to find out what had happened. If they knew why he was here, if what they thought she knew was sensitive enough. Her life wasn’t worth spit anywhere. She felt like a hunted animal. She didn’t like it one bit. She hated being told what to do.[/color][/i] She snarled and growled at Felix as she leapt into action. She jumped up on top of the wall and began to hurl potion bottles as she began to use her whip to good use. Her whip cracked out with a flick of her wrist and the barbs on the end opened up one soldier’s throat tearing open his unprotected neck. The acid potion hit another right on the face. The potion bottle broke on the top of his face and the splash zone included one of the men next to him. She followed that up with a smokescreen potion that would obscure what was happening around them from those looking on from below. [color=#39FF14]Rowan: “Well you wanted to find me. Here I am assholes!”[/color] Rowan unleashed her anger on the men on the opposite side of the wall. Her whip flaying them open. Occasionally an electrical burst of power would feed along the length of the whip. Blood flew in a whirlwind around her as she moved quickly and decisively aiming to kill or maim but take men out of the fight as quickly as possible. She would have her whip going with her right hand as she reached out with her left and fired ice darts out of her left. In no time at all, there were five men down on the other side of the wall. They were either bleeding out, unconscious, or already dead.