"Good. Come alone and bring both files. Upon receipt, I will transfer the funds to your account. James, it is needless to say, but I would advise that you lay low for a while. Your business with Samantha may be complete, but she is not one to let go so easily."

Jess calls in to HQ with the team's report. Nightengale is a bit relieved and somewhat amazed that they managed to not only subdue but also capture one of the Her Majesty's finest. During the conversation he also has the Agency Supercomputer run an ID on the Russkie's voice.

The voice print comes up as Oleshko Tehansky. Former Russian military, worked security details for Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Went in to the private sector in 1998. He basically says that they should exercise extreme caution but continue with their investigation, reporting back with any new information.

Nightengale will be sending a medievac chopper from Phoenix to pick up what's left of James and Andrew as well as take Tracy and Annie into custody.

As the Agents think of how they're going to fit six agents in a car designed for five, Stork interrupts their chain of thought.

"I saw the POS you've been driving. It won't last 30 seconds in a firefight. (throwing Artis the keys) Take mine. It's parked in the back."

In the backyard sits a Hummer H2. Goose cracks a smile and gives off the vibe of:

Oh...yeah.

Stork walks up to the driver's side as everyone piles in.

"I just had it waxed, so if you would be kind enough to at least return it in one piece..."

Goose gives her a thumbs up and slaps on his shades. The team takes off for Bud's Casino and Bunny Ranch. Goose takes notes of the "added amenities" Stork's H2 has to offer. Besides the usual refinements (armor plating/tires), the H2 also has a hood mounted point defense/SMG system (like the Vanish).

About 100 yards from the Bunny Ranch, 5:49pm

The sun fades over the mountains (it's dusk, not yet completely dark) in the distance as the neon lights of Bud's Casino and Bunny Ranch come into view. Goose can faintly make out two Mercedes SUVs sitting in its parking lot.

Jess checks her Colt, then pockets it and mentally prepares her "french whore" act.

"I swear, next mission I'm bringing along a suitcase with a dissembled sniper rifle."

Before the token doubts about her riflery skills can be expressed, she adds

"I know, I know, I just need a vacation from seeing people die up close."

As the Hummer idles on the barren stretch of highway, James' phone begins to ring. It's Oleshko.

"Ok. I see you. Are you going to drive over here or do I have to come and get it from your dead hands?"

"If you're going to be rude, my price just went up 150%. You don't spit on Santa Claus when he's got your toys in his sack."

I think back to the wise words of Master Skeeter: NEVER get out of the car...

Oleshko pauses for a long second,

"I thought you would say that. No matter, I will take the documents from you one way or another."

The team seems a bit inexpecting when Jess, of all people, spots a vehicle sized object come barrelling out from behind the casino. It appears to be aiming straight for the driver's side of the Hummer.

Oleshko begins to laugh over the phone,

"You play your games...I play mine. Now die!"

(Edited by Dieter at 4:29 pm on Jan. 24, 2003)

Goose jams the truck's gearbox into reverse, narrowly missing the on-coming front end of another (that makes three) Mercedes SUV.

"Shit. Maybe that strike team was a good idea..."

Harry gets on the phone, asking if any backup (for instance, a helicopter) is available.

Jess grabs the nearest stable-looking object with her left hand, then goes for the shotgun she used previously.

"If we survive this, I'm getting you boys a tactical nuke for Christmas !"

Gavin sighs, works the bolt on his rifle, and starts rolling his window down.

"Thanks, but only if it comes with select-fire."

Harry hits the speed-dial for the Agency's emergency service. After the usual spiel, he gets through.

Agent Nighthawk please describe the nature of your emergency and how we might be able to assist you.

"We appear to be outnumbered 3 to 1 in a blown-meet scenario. We're going to attempt evasive action and road combat, but we could use some help."

Harry then gives their lattitude and longitude, and elaborates on "the russians"

We can have a gunship to your position in 45 minutes.

(Edited by Dieter at 8:54 am on Jan. 27, 2003)

"Let's see if this tub of lard lives up to the damn commercials..." I say as I come out of the J-turn unscathed, weaving through the parking lot and pointing the big bastard off-road.

(OOC: Lure maneuver)

Artis tries to lure the Mercedes into the rough country, but overcompensates on his steering and gets rammed in the driver's side. The SUV screech to a halt as Father Goose gets up close and personal with the Mercedes' hood ornament.

Fortunately, both vehicles were designed to take this sort of punishment, suffering little more than cosmetic damage. The Team now gets some retribution. Gavin, Jess and Brian take turns pumping shots into the front of the Mercedes.

Gavin aims for the tires, but the mighty quarterpanels of German engineering protect them from puncture. Brian sprays his MP5 across the hood, filling it with a generous amount of 9mm slugs. Jess then adds to the fury of firearms with two blasts from her shotgun, pockmarking the front end with 12-gauge pellets.

The two vehicles sit idley by as the muzzles of automatic weapons poke out of the Mercedes' gun-port doors.

As the sun sets below the desert mountains, the evening is lit up by the muzzle flash of automatic weapons.

They appear to be aiming at the Hummer's tires. Bullets rip into the SUV's wheelwells with a few hitting their mark. The Hummer's left rear tire pops with a loud hissing sound, but it quickly reinflated by an automatic mechanism.

The vehicles prepare for their next moves as the other two Mercedes peel out towards the fracas.

Goose attempts a bootlegger reverse as the 3-ton mass of Fahrvergnugen tries to box-in the team. And in a feat of driving expertise, Goose turns that mutha out and around gaining two lengths on the Mercedes.

...and the chase is on!

The team take turns at firing at the truck and with Goose's good luck, the team suffers some inevitable misfortune. Jess' shotgun jams this round, forcing her to clear the breach. Gavin's first tire shot goes wide with the second shot jamming the action of his rifle. Good Juju is restored as Brian critically hits (twice!) the Mercedes' engine block. Thick black smoke rolls out from underneath of its hood. It has no choice but to break off pursuit, fading off into the background as the other two SUVs move up (we'll say 10 lengths) into the fray.

Jess takes the jam as her hint to drop back behind cover, and she slams into the seat, ducking to the floor and reloading the shotgun with some more slugs.

"Art, next time we'll need better ammunition than Walmart issue."

"But I had a coupon!"

I rumble over the low ditch across the highway, seemingly headed off-road, then slide the big beast around and head off at an angle to the main road.

(OOC: Just to piss these shitheads off, I'm doing another Bootlegger. Suck on SUV beatdown!)