- --- Golem --- Fierce winds had battered them from the open doors of the virtibird, but out there in the sky was a sight to behold. More and more it seemed the Enclave aimed for full scale invasion. There would be no doubt of that in the minds of anyone who viewed that display of power from the ground. Perhaps that was partially the point of all of it. Either way getting to see those viritibirds taking to the air by the hundreds had been amusing to say the very least. The deafening roar of all the machines had seemed even louder upon landing and it had been a bit of a relief to be quickly moved inside the refurbished city hall. He didn't need to be told to stand by the table and map in the center of the room. It had immediately drawn his attention as he was eager to learn the layout of the area, what the plan was and just what the hell they were going up against with this kind of military force. The woman who provided such information was short and to the point just how he liked it. Their orders were simple; push in once communications were down, take the airport, no prisoners, no survivors. It would be as if the NCR were never there in the first place. Well, perhaps things weren't quite as simple as that, but Golem understood his part to play and that was enough for him. Now he stood among the trees and the rain with the others who remained behind with the main assault force. He stood still and quiet, much like the rest of them, trying not to draw any attention to himself. Though this was the calm before the storm the tension was palpable. High-strung nerves and blood-lust mingled tightly through the lines all of it ready to snap into action and violence as soon as the NCR's communications were sabotaged and the order to move in was given. The sweet, refreshing scent of the heavy forest rain only seemed to mock them by making the mood all the more apparent. Golem took a moment to examine the little modification he had made to his weapon. A section of the handle was shiny and new, rimmed with a set of discreet, inset switches and lined with a set of mysterious slots. No accidents so far which meant the sensor modules in his gauntlets were hooked up correctly and still functioning. No signal yet, though Winter and Whisper should be well on their way inside by now. In a way, Golem envied them for not being subjected to the waiting game, but at the time being the Enclave's success was in their hands. A heavy burden indeed. --- Ginger --- The sound of rain pelting the old building from outside was by far louder than the small group of snipers that slipped into its upper levels like ghosts. Five men fanned out across the floor staying low, ducking windows and being silent as the grave. Even with the rain cover they could not afford to relax, to cut any corners what-so-ever, to give the NCR even a hunch that something might be creeping about their perimeter. If one of those ranger snipers up on the airport walls spotted them it would all be over in an instant. A sixth man followed up the rear, double checking the traps they had placed were in order and that the men were in position. He checked the stairs one last time. Nothing. Anything coming up this way during the operation would no doubt be blown to bits and alert the snipers. If anything were to compromise them they would be out long before the enemy reached this spot. Ginger set up shop by a wide hole that had been punched through the wall during wars centuries past. It wasn't as conspicuous as a window and he could still see several entrances to the airport and large open spaces that spread out before them, what used to be parking lots and loading zones, as well as the top of the walls where the Rangers lurked. Every light and every device that might put off light or sound on his armor was shut off. He had come prepared with what could only be described as a severely bastardized suppressor for his rifle. The Gauss was a weapon that would never be silenced, but this made it a little less akin to painting a target on your skull. Besides the enemy usually ended up more distracted by the blinding bursts of fusion that erupted where their companion's body parts used to be than the sound made by the gun. [b]"We're in position,"[/b] he whispered to Deathstroke over the comm. [i]Like fish in a barrel,[/i] Strickland had told them. He had killed his fair share of people, but it seemed no matter what the situation there was always the most subtle taste of regret left over. It was something he had learned to get over quickly, but he doubted it would ever really stop happening. He frowned remembering Bear's sympathies for the infected raider girl. There would be no acts of mercy here today if he could help it. This wasn't just a battle. It was an extermination. To his group he whispered, [b]"I don't care what comes out of that airport, you take out everything that has a pulse and let the gods sort 'em out later. Understood?"[/b] He only received responses in the affirmative. Good.