nt

17:48

The sun begins to set over the Mestre skyline with Brian setting up a tripod for the NV binoculars. Stepping out on to the front terrace is Liz and her two new friends. Following them outside are three goons and Ivan, himself carrying a bound and gagged person over his shoulder. Brian tweaks the image enhancing dials on his viewfinder, desperately trying to make out the person's face. As Ivan turns to approach one of the Mercedes, Brian spots the prisoner's face, it's Kenji. The tell-tale bandages of his "surgery" done by the Russians are also noticable on the man's hands.

The goons get into one of the Mercedes, popping the back hatch as Ivan brings Kenji over to it, throwing him into the tinted luggage area. Decker and Fischer get into their Ferrari, the engine turning over in a groan of horsepower and torque. It speeds off towards the gated entrance with the Mercedes following it directly.

Jess steals a look at her watch, then grabs the mike again.

"Hummingbird to Osprey, what's your status?"

"Our new friends just headed out in their Ferrari. Be advised they are trailed by a Mercedes with several goons, with Kenji in the boot. Visual confirmation of significant damage to his hands.

Shit.

"Copy that, Osprey. We'll be ready for them."

18:03

The two vehicles exit the compound, veering off towards downtown Mestre. Brian turns his attention back to the front of the villa where Liz is see talking on her phone. She seems calm yet concerned, pacing back and forth. A few minutes go by with Liz still chatting away. Her conversation is broken in by what appears to be a member of the hired help (i.e. not a goon, perhaps a butler or something of the ilk) carrying a stainless steel briefcase.

From the heavy duty construction and the locking mechanisms, Brian immediately identifies it as a gun case. Liz continues to talk on her phone gesturing for the servant to leave it on a nearby bench.

18:10

Jess' open comm-channel is interrupted by a phone call. The number is unlisted and the prefix is not one that she recognizes. A female voice greets her.

Hello. You don't know me, but I know you. There is someone who wants to speak to you.

There is a brief pause followed by the familiar voice of Ayumi's brother Kenji.

He-hello? This is Kenji. Identifier Callsign Kamo. Please do as your are instructed...

The female voice comes back on the line.

Do as you have been previously instructed and you will get to see dear Kenji alive and (pause) mostly well. Noncompliance will result in a closed-casket funeral.

*click*

Brian continues to radio in to the team.

"I've got Liz at the front of the villa talking on a phone. She looks a bit concerned looking, and she's carrying a guncase..."

"Roger that, Osprey, we're ready. Just received a phonecall from the convoy confirming the meeting. Did you see a woman get into one of the cars?"

"That's an affirma...."

*Ping! K-thunk*

The distinct sound of metal vs. cranium broadcasts over the open channel.

Brian's end goes to static for a few uncomfortable moments followed by a choppy feed of what sounds like a scuffle between Brian and someone else. A relieving stream of English derogatories and slurs comes through his earpiece.

Motherfucker! *Punch*...You bloody....*Kick*....Sonuva...*Choke*

Around 20 seconds into the scuffle, the tripod holding the live-feed binoculars is knocked over providing a somewhat skewed perspective of the fight. It appears that Brian is taking on two large men wearing cheap Italian suits.

(Edited by Dieter at 11:04 am on Mar. 10, 2004)

Brian gets all SAS on their Italian asses. Multi-combatant training was always a fun way to end the day up in Hereford and this situation seems like old times.

Twisting one man's arm at a horrible angle, Brian crouches down and does a leg sweep on the other mafioso. The man falls on hard stone floor dropping the lead pipe in his hand.

Sinew and cartilage snapping like kindling, the fallen man's compatriot reaches for a tazer in his coat pocket, retrieving and jamming it into Brian's neck.

Its jolt isn't enough to knock the Herefordman out, but everything's looking a bit fuzzier.

Brian's muscles clench as voltage courses through his body.

"Here I was gonna be all nice, and keep this a fist and combat boots fight. But no, you fuckin' goon's gotta escalate it. First rule of combat..."

(drawing silenced 9 milli)

"...never bring a taser to a silenced gunfight."

Brian begins to line up a shot on the tazer guy but realizes his hand-eye coordination is bit out of whack. Before the goon gets off another attack, he snap-shots a volley of rounds at his blurry opponent. The bullets go wide popping holes in the surrounding stonework as his fallen goon gets to one knee and regrips his lead pipe, smacking Brian's wrist with a hard blow.

Tazer guy attempts another zap but Brian is easily able to fend off the attack.

(Edited by Dieter at 11:19 am on Mar. 11, 2004)

The stun effects appear to wearing off when the four targets from the previous round dwindle down to the original two.

*Pwip* *Pwip*

Brian tags the tazerguy with a subsonic round to the arm, his second shot critically wounding Mr. Lead-pipe commando. The man slumps to the ground clutching his chest and futily trying to stop his lung from collapsing.

England 1: Italy 0

"Osprey? Come in, Osprey!...Hummingbird to Falconet, do you copy? What's going on?"

A full minute goes by as nearly everything breakable up on the church belltower is shattered to pieces. The goon proves to be a more formidable foe than Brian initially anticipated. They go blow-for-blow for a number of rounds before a sharp palm hit to goon's heart knocks him out for the count.

Brian's got a swolen right eye, possible fractured collarbone and limp left knee for his troubles. He picks up the vox-mike (which had long since been lost in the melee) off the debris-ridden floor.

(spitting blood out his mouth)

Osprey to Hummingbird I'm *spit* here. Opposition has been *spit* neutralized, over?

Brian resets the tripod, looking through his one good eye as the other begins to swell shut.

"Good. I trust you've made sure that this opposition wil not bother you again?"

Something like that...

Brian stares through the starlight scope, noticing that along with the fact that the image is alot grainier and the [color=red:671d686f2c]low-battery[/color] warning light has come on. Taking a look at the housing, he spots a large indentation in its side with some battery acid leaking out onto the stone floor.

Along with the battered state of his equipment, Brian's stereoscopic sight is rapidly progressing towards tunnel vision.

Osprey to Hummingbird. You better send Artis over here to pick us up. I'm a mess and need medical attention.

It's over two hours until the meeting - Art should be able to do it and be back in time for us.

"Copy that, Osprey, sending pickup."

Jess deftly switches channels on her commlink...

"Hummingbird to Goose, Osprey requires pickup. Get him into the car and bring him here, I'll patch him up. Copy?"

"Roger. I hate Italy." Goose slams the Mustang into gear and peels out for Brian's position.

Artis arrives to the pick-up waypoint (a few blocks away from the villa). He sees Carla no worse for wear, Brian nursing a black eye and walking with a slight limp.

Gear and agents secured, Goose takes them back to nursemaid Jess.