Episode 7

[20:32] <Champion> Thirty minutes ago, the being designated the Second Angel was destroyed by the combined efforts of the three Children. Twenty five minutes, the members of RED and BLU teams were alerted to a mission, under the command of one Leon Raczkowski. Five minutes ago, the four members of RED team and five of BLU were suited up and gathered together in hanger room three. Joining them are Leon Raczkowski,
[20:32] <Champion> geared up in a similar NERV stealth suit, and Sub-commander Clarke in his NERV uniform.
[20:32] <Champion> The room is spartan, bare save a large, projector hanging from the ceiling and the accompanying screen hanging against the wall. Two rows of seat, each placed behind long tables. The lights flicker in and out of existence, the power failure from the Angel’s attack still affecting all of NERV HQ. The complete destruction of the Empire State Building is not helping; all of Manhattan is
[20:32] <Champion> without power.
[20:33] <Champion> "Is everyong assembled and ready?" Clarke asks gruffly. It's easy to guess why- his house was just destroyed, and his home city is in ruins. With Kennedy in Washington, he's the one to blame right now.
[20:39] * NE_Geist has quit (Ping timeout: 240 seconds)
[20:40] * NE_Geist (~chatzilla@Rizon-F1AC4CF9.san.res.rr.com) has joined #LibertyIC
[20:41] * Leon_Raczkowski sits as quietly as he can, unfortunately aware that some soldiers are probably shooting him glances for not coordnating the past fight well enough.
[20:45] * Agent_Reaper is all smiles as he sits off to the side and hums some old russian lullaby he always heard as a kid. In his hands are his combat knife and some kind of grinding stone that he slowly runs down the length of the blade.
[20:47] * NERV_Scarecrow glances about.
[20:47] <NERV_Scarecrow> "We're ready sir."
[20:48] * NE_Geist rubs his tired eyes. He gives a small affirmative nod.
[20:52] <Champion> Clarke nods, before reaching  his hand into a pocket. Pulling out a remotre controller of some sort, the sub-commander kills the lights by pressing a button. Pressing another button, the projector activates. The screen displays a map of Manhattan, in all its glory. "This, gentlemen," Clarke begins, "is Manhattan three hours ago."
[20:54] * NERV_Scarecrow immediately, and silently, spots his apartment.
[20:54] <Champion> Pressing another button, the map is altered dramatically, the focal point begin a battle scared and ruined Empire State building and its surrounding territory. The image is slightly fuzzy, and in the middle of viewing it the projector flickers out. Everything in the room is a quiet for a moment, and twenty seconds later the power returns. "This is Manhatten now."
[20:55] <Champion> Scarecrow's aparement is gone, but thankfully Leon's is unharmed.
[20:55] * NERV_Scarecrow 's ears perk up.
[20:55] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Motherf-"
[20:55] <Champion> One of the members of BLU team gasps sharply, before saying in a low, gravely voice, "Son of bitch, my apartment's gone!"
[20:56] * Leon_Raczkowski grimaces.
[20:56] * NERV_Scarecrow facepalms and mutters "All my shit..."
[20:58] <Champion> "Indeed," Clarke replies, sympathetically. "All of Manhatten is without power, and will need to be evacuated for sometime. When the Angel exploded, the entire thing's body shattered, and littered the city with small shards. Some the size of cars, the other no bigger than a pebble. Once more, we'll be blaming the attack on the Eigenhart Intiative."
[21:00] * Agent_Reaper stops his humming and looks up to Clarke, he continues his knife sharpening however
[21:01] * NE_Geist shuts and opens his eyes slowly. He muffles and holds down a yawn.
[21:02] <Champion> The Eigenhart Intiative, as you all know, is the patsy terrorist group created by NERV PR to blame various Angel attacks and other minor problems of the world on. "Still, now is none the less the perfect opportunity to strike. Even with our own capabilities, we're low on power. Thus, our enemies' bases are completely defenseless. Tonight, we will perform two raids," Clarke announces, his
[21:02] <Champion> voice steely.
[21:04] * Leon_Raczkowski perks up at the mention of "enemy bases".
[21:07] <Champion> "Our intelligence division has located two safe houses. One is located here," Clarke says, using a laser pointer to point out a building Soho, "And here." The second place indicated a was a building in Hell's Kitchen. "We believe them both to by hold outs of a anti-NERV group, that has been spying on us for sometime now."
[21:11] * Leon_Raczkowski lets out an audible snort at the mention of a "SoHo safehouse" and the images of uzi-waving hipsters being shot to death dances in his head.
[21:14] <Champion> "We are not expecting a lot of resistance, but be prepared all the same. Close quarters combat, so be prepared. Try not to cause too much collateral either, and capture as many people as you can for the Harper to break," Clarke orders sternly. Each of you know, he is not going to compromise on any measure, and no excuses would be acceptable to him. "Any questions?"
[21:14] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Not expecting a lot... what exactly is our intel sir?"
[21:15] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Do we have a set protocol for handling civilians wandering around?"
[21:19] <Champion> CLarke nods to awknowledge Leon, and replies calmly, "All civilians were told to escape to shleter when the blackout began. Assume any outside are not civilians. You are to capture them, and have free triggers if they resist. We must not let word of the Angels escape."
[21:20] * Leon_Raczkowski nods in affirmation.
[21:23] <Champion> "As for intel, in the Soho complex we believe a basement has been converted for hidden comunications. The H.K. complex is to be more heavily fortified, and will offer more reistance. We have been unable to do much recon, on either, and our databses on these locations are largely unavailable. The only reason we're doing this now, is so they will be caught with their pants down around their
[21:23] <Champion> ankles," the Sub-Commander says.
[21:26] <NERV_Scarecrow> "So we're going in blind..." he says, his head slowly bobbing.
[21:26] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Good enough."
[21:30] <Champion> "Now, we're going to split the teams. As Leon is the acting field commander, he has choice on which complex he wants to raid," the sub-commander states.
[21:31] * Leon_Raczkowski looks at both complexes and mutters to himself "what would Caesar do..."
[21:32] <Leon_Raczkowski> "We'll take out the communications in SoHo. If we finish up early we'll go to reinforce the H.K. complex."
[21:36] <Champion> Clarke nods to acknowledge Leon, and orders, "Get your gear, and get your asses out there then. we don't know how long we'll be without power."
[21:39] * Agent_Reaper nods and wipes the sides of his knife of his pant leg before sliding it back into it's sheath.
[21:39] * Leon_Raczkowski immediately gets up and tries his best to organize the two teams before heading out.
[21:39] <Agent_Reaper> *on his pant leg
[21:40] * NE_Geist strains his eyes, exhales and mutters, "Wha'? Uh? We deployin'? Okie," he pulls himself to a standing position.
[21:47] * NERV_Scarecrow stands up and stretches his long limbs.
[21:47] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Time to work."
[21:54] <Champion> The streets of Manhattan are dark; the city lights are without power, and the moon is hidden behind the clouds and smoke of a burning Empire State Building. Even now, the glow of the fires can be seen, the only source of light in all of New-New York. Small craters litter the street, and small pink crystals can be seen every so often reflecting what little light remains. In a large assault
[21:54] <Champion> vehicle, some chimera hybrid of a S.W.A.T. van and a garbage truck, the team sits waiting.
[21:55] <Champion> The target is a small, two story building in SoHo. The first story is a coffee house, "creatively" named Lazy Daze. The second story is some sort of apartment, and the residence of the owners. Large glass windows allow easy viewing of the inside, where a number of used and torn up recliners have been situated around second hand coffee tables.
[21:57] <Champion> Inside the vehicle, Ghost is seated at a small command center, where a number of deivces have been connected to a large and rather powerful computer. Listening devices show there to be activity inside on the second story, and in the back supply rooms of the first.
[21:58] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Hey Ghost, how many do you reckon?"
[22:00] <Champion> Rapid fire typing on a keyboard is the immeadiate reply, when a soft, femine voice answers. Her english is impecable, but it still hints at a japenese origin. "I'm detecting at least three voices in the first floor, four on the top."
[22:00] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Well that doesn't sound too bad."
[22:03] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Learned long ago to worry about the quiet ones," he says doing a final triple check on his weapon.
[22:04] <Leon_Raczkowski> "No kidding. Let's see if we can pull up some plans for enterances for this place. There should at least be some back doors of fire-escapes."
[22:06] * Agent_Reaper scooches over a bit closer to Ghost, 'Speaking of plans, what might you be doing after this, Ghost?' he asks in a low sounding voice with a thick russian accent
[22:07] * Leon_Raczkowski waits for maps to come up, but responds to Reaper only by saying "Whatever happened to professional fire teams."
[22:08] * NE_Geist slides the revolving chamber from his grenade launcher, checks and re-checks each grenade silently. He sneezes absentmindedly.
[22:09] * NERV_Scarecrow glances at Leon and shrugs.
[22:09] <NERV_Scarecrow> "They let in just any bum on in this gig nowadays."
[22:09] * NERV_Scarecrow continues to stare at Leon for just a second longer than necessary.
[22:10] <Champion> More typing, before the computer screen displays a small blue print of the place. There is a main entrance in front for the customers, with the front area fairly open. A small space behind the counter is for the baristas, with a small doorway leading behind into the supply rooms. A staircase in the supply room leads to the second story, as does a small fire escape out back. The supply room
[22:10] <Champion> has a rear entrance, which is used to recieve supplies. Whispering back to Reaper, Ghost replies dryly, "Going back home to my girlfriend, pig."
[22:11] <Agent_Reaper> "Gah ha ha. Mind if I join?"
[22:11] <Leon_Raczkowski> "...how close are the fire escapes on the second floor to any other surrounding buildings? Any roof matianance hatches?"
[22:13] * Leon_Raczkowski noncermoniously shoves Reaper away from Ghost so he can speak.
[22:15] * NE_Geist sniffs and rotates toward the actual discussion. A small silver trinket works itself free of one of his pockets but he does not notice.
[22:15] <Champion> "The fire escapes? A little close, why?" Ghost replies, her voice much softer and friendlier to Leon.
[22:19] * Agent_Reaper lets out another small chuckle before grabbing his shotgun and turning to Leon, 'Just tell me where I am to go, boss man.'
[22:20] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Workin on that..."
[22:25] <Leon_Raczkowski> "...Ghost what sort of chatter are we picking up? Do they expect us, or are they just bumbling around?"
[22:28] <Champion> "Listen in for yourself," Ghost replies, before hitting a few keys on the cmassive computer. On your H.U.D., a blinking light pips up, showing communication on channel two.
[22:30] * Leon_Raczkowski taps into the channel...
[22:32] <Champion> "-I don't know why the damn generator is fucking working!" a man all but shouts. His voice is pure New-New Yorker, right down to the characteristic anger one would find during rush hour traffic. "I just know we gotta clear the damn house out, in case something happens. Who knows what those giant monsters where?"
[22:33] <Champion> He's met in kind by a softer, but no less angry male voice. "And what? The whole city is shut down Paul, we don't have anywhere to go."
[22:34] * Escavel_Away is now known as Jakov_Zakharvich
[22:35] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Well that's something."
[22:36] <Champion> "Look, why can't we just get ready to leave? Our contact will meet us across in New Jersey when the city is operating again, and we can get them the files then," a third voice, this one attempting a compromise.
[22:37] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Well THAT'S something..."
[22:37] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Where are those sounds coming from? The second floor?"
[22:41] <Champion> A nod from Ghost, when the first voice- Paul- says, "These better be worth it. I risked my neck getting that recording. Not to mention the shit Andria got for us from NERV."
[22:42] <Leon_Raczkowski> "...Ghost, keep us updated on these. Gentlemen, we're paying the top floor a visit."
[22:44] <Agent_Reaper> "Well now. All I have is close quarters silenced weaponry. Perhaps I should come in through bottom to scare little chickens out while you get the top roosters, yes?"
[22:47] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Sounds good. You and Scarecrow take the back, me and Geist will go in from the front. Ghost, if you hear anyone on the top floor hop out of the building from those fire-escapes, let me know."
[22:48] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Boss," the man nods.
[22:49] * NE_Geist tilts upward and slings the grenade launcher onto his back as he grabs his shotgun from the floor. He hesitates, then leans further to grab the trinket he had lost earlier.
[22:50] * Agent_Reaper does a quick nod before checking all his weapons. Along with his pistol he has his shotgun, and an uzi slung off to his side for quick access.
[22:51] <Champion> Ghost nods to acknoledge Leons order, as the team begins to move like a well oiled machine.
[23:14] <Champion> The four exit the back of the assault vehicle, and hustle down the block towards the building. Leon and Reaper move to the back, while Scarecrow and Geist approach the front. Behind the building, a small parking area is situated;  a white van with the stores logo on the side rests, an old junker from pre second impact. A smaller yellow smart car is also parked, a much more up to date and
[23:14] <Champion> fashionable vehicle to drive these days. There is a single, heavy white door with a small window in the back, next to a small dumpster that is half filled.
[23:14] <Champion> Out front, Geist and Scarecrow approach from the front, the glass windows allowing the two the ability to see. There is no one in the front, and the front doors appear to be locked.
[23:15] * Agent_Reaper taps Leon on the shoulder and points to the white van and dumpster for confirmation of two hot topics
[23:21] <Agent_Reaper> "Should I pop tires of vehicles?" he asks in a hushed voice
[23:22] <NERV_Scarecrow> As they approach the main door, Scarecrow signals Geist, and takes out his sidearm. Two silenced shots aim to open the lock.
[23:25] * Leon_Raczkowski points to the camera first.
[23:25] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Take out that camera first, and then we can pop the tires as we move to the door. Everyone get into position..."
[23:25] * Agent_Reaper nods and pulls out his pistol, slinging his shotgun over his shoulder. He then steadies the gun and takes aim before letting out a shot.
[23:30] <Champion> The camera bursts in a dozen little pieces, sparks flying for a moment. The remains dangle from the stand, loose bits of wiring connecting them.
[23:32] <Champion> The lock on the front door breaks, but the surrounding glass goes with it. Most of the door is in tact, the the remains of the grnaled metal lock and the glass fall to the ground with a small thud.
[23:33] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Ok, let's move up. You pop the tires, i'll breach the door. Everyone get ready."
[23:37] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Ghost, are the hostiles alerted?" He whispers into the microphone.
[23:38] <Agent_Reaper> "Yes, sir." he moves quietly and quickly to the van and slowly pulls out his knife as he lowers to one knee and readies his knife before cutting off the stems of the passenger front and back tires. He then catches back up to Leon, sheathing his knife as he moves
[23:39] <Champion> "Doesn't look like it," she responds over the communications line.
[23:39] * NE_Geist harshly grumbles to himself as he shoulders his shotgun and takes his position opposite Leon.
[23:39] <NE_Geist> *opposite Scarecrow
[23:40] * NERV_Scarecrow signals that he's going in.
[23:40] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Alright. We breach and clear the rooms. If you find the stairwell, try to keep it under control so we can move upstairs....go."
[23:40] * Leon_Raczkowski tries the door.
[23:45] * NERV_Scarecrow swiftly takes position past the shop's counter, next to the supply room door.
[23:46] <Champion> The back door is locked a metal handle with a keyhole in the middle holding fast.
[23:47] * NE_Geist takes his sweet time positioning himself in an optimum firing position opposite Scarecrow.
[23:47] <Leon_Raczkowski> "We ready?"
[23:48] <Agent_Reaper> "Yes." He replies with a nod
[23:51] <Leon_Raczkowski> "Scarecrow, Geist, you tell me when you start moving in and I'll blast this door open."
[23:51] * Agent_Reaper readies his shotgun and takes position behind Leon, slightly to his left.
[23:52] <NERV_Scarecrow> "Popping the cork in 3..."
[23:52] <NERV_Scarecrow> "2..."
[23:52] <NERV_Scarecrow> "1..."