Moten starts walking upstairs with his forensics case in hand.

"So, Brian is it? Could you help me go over the room? I'm a little handicapped at the moment." He raises his splinted arm a few inches.

Yuri watches the ambulances arrive, then stands around as everyone gets patched up. Unfortunately, all of the cops leave with them. Yuri doesn't much like the even odds that are left - no cop does.

The man Yuri beat on, who apparently is named Moten - though Yuri doesn't know whether that is a first or last name - begins to scour the place. An experienced cop, Yuri recognises the equipment and procedures. He considers stopping the man on the grounds of this being his crime scene, but he'd rather have whatever information this Moten turns up. Instead, he will stay close and watch closer.

Brian holds up a finger. "One sec."

He answers the phone, sighing softly. "Good to hear. The wife and I will be there soon...got pulled over near the state line. Save some pie."

He gives the group a appologetic shrug. "HQ wanted to know if everything is alright..." He helps Moten around a bit, favoring the side that didn't get quite so many bullet holes in it, before turning to Yuri.

"As near as I can figure it, you boys at the FSB are...not at all please...with our presence here. Specifically, a previously mentioned young woman, who I am here to retreive. What I presume you do not know is the circumstances surrounding just *why* you have foreign commandos running about your city. So, if you don't mind, it might be good for you to start with a picture of what you *think* is going on, and I'll see if I can bring you up to speed. I honestly don't think that you lads, who are, by and large decent cops, want us in your back yard. But, at the same time...we are the good guys...or at least not the bad guys."

Yuri chuckles. "You can say that. We are most displeased with Ms. Spiner, as she has done some things that we tend to frown on. The young woman has much to answer for, and it is my job to see that she does so."

He pauses for a moment to note what the other foreigner is doing. "To be honest, we don't care why you are here. This is our sovereign nation, and you don't have permission to be here. As long as you are operating illegally on Russian soil, you are bad guys in the eyes of the Russian government - however it is that you might see yourselves.

"If you think that there is some justification for your actions that you feel our government should consider, feel free to tell me about it. If you provide a convincing-enough story, I will be glad to pass it on to my superiors."

Peter turns to Ayumi, initiating an off-handed conversation.

"I heard you have two signature pistols. It's going to be a long drive to Krasnoyarsk, so how about I take a look at them? You know, give them a good cleaning, replace the recoil springs, tune up the trigger pull a bit?"

Ayumi looks frightened, then laughs. She shares a glance with Carla, who breaks into a smile.

"Mr. Krueger," she says him German, "You never, ever ask a lady you've just met to take off her guns. But, like you said, it's a long drive to Krasnoyarsk. Maybe I'll get to know you well enough."

"Herr Krüger, Sie sollten eine Frau, die Sie gerade erst kennengelernt haben, nicht darum bitten, Ihnen ihre Waffen auszuhändigen. Andererseits ist es, wie sie bereits sagten, eine lange Fahrt nach Krasnoyarsk. Vielleicht lerne ich Sie dabei gut genug kennen."

Peter just shrugs, then opens his attache case and withdraws a serious contender for the "Biggest Goddamn Revolver On Earth, Period" price. Ayumi recognises the frame of a Taurus large-caliber revolver, but the cylinder looks all wrong, and the barrel seems to be even larger than she recalls. Perhaps most disturbing about the gun is it's flashiness - almost completely dulled chrome, with a faux ivory grip. Peter does a few simple tricks with the gun, then pockets it again.

"Wer nicht will, der hat schon."

(Translation: He who does not want, already has.)

As the revolver disappears back into case, he goes on in English.

"Besides, if we're on a last-name basis, it's Doctor Krueger."

Krasnoyarsk

"The apartment belong to one Anatoli Kirchinsky. He is hacker and computer expert. Pays rent in cash, six month in advance. Moscow say he went to school at University of Prague. Graduated in only two year with degree in computer science. From amount of pirated software and classified hardware, it is given he is not doing just data entry." Mikhail adds, looking up from the screen of Skytel pager.

Moten and Brian assist with Yuri's thorough (yet enlightening) investigation of Anatoli's apartment. Mikhail's computer skills are of note, as he is able to tap into Anatoli's desktop after only a few minutes of typing.
Yuri and him definitely are assigned partners as they play off eachother hunches like they were a married couple, each taking shots at eachother with little more than a smirk or the occasional affirmative grunt.

"There, Yuri come here." Mihail exclaims, pointing at an email exchange.

Priority One Message, Code: Alpha 261552
From: Prodigal_Daughter24
To: Agency HQ

Wings bent, not broken. Proceeding to Location 5-Bravo-32-Zulu.

During the discovery, Moten's independent investigation leads him to one overwhelming and (seemingly unmentioned by Yuri) clue in the vanishing of Agent Spiner...the trapdoor in the floor.


(Edited by Dieter at 2:23 pm on Dec. 13, 2004)

"Herr Doctor, is that a Raging Hornet for business purposes, or are you just struggling with inadequacy issues?"


(Edited by Infested Paladin at 1:58 pm on Dec. 13, 2004)

Peter cracks a humorless smile.

"Strictly business. Fun's not in the budget."

Brian sighs slowly, shaking his head.

"There we are...the flaw that got us shooting at each other. We're not operating in your country. Or, more specifically, we're not here by choice. Ms. Spiner is an associate of mine, we've been working together for awhile. She disappeared during an operation elsewhere in Europe...I can't tell you where, but I can tell you it was far, far away from Russia...not to mention much warmer. She got off a message to us after she was apparently left for dead near here. I'll I'm here to do is pick her up and get her back to a country who *does* want us there."

He pauses, letting the Russian agent ponder this.

"So there you have it...the good guys get dragged into this by some rather seedy types, and the other good guys" he motions to Yuri ", get caught in the crossfire doing their job."

He sighs softly, trying to ignore the nagging pain in his arm. "So, here it is. You've got two choices...one is to help me find Ms. Spiner, get her to safety and, in the process, probably get a chance to nail some people who you're country would very much benefit from if they were...dead. Option two involves you not helping me, in the process destroying a very valuable asset, and getting yourself caught up in something much bigger and more violent. I'm not the only person on either side looking for her...but I am probably the most cooperative...especially if I get arrested or die. Police have gotten caught in our crossfire before, and I don't like the idea one bit. But trust me, the people on the other end of this are pretty much the worst kind of shite imaginable..."

(Edited by CrazyIvan at 2:39 pm on Dec. 13, 2004)

Yuri looks critically at Brian for a moment; he seems unimpressed by the commando's explanation.

"I see no flaw. It is not a matter of whether you are here by choice - though I find your definition of choice odd as well. The fact remains that you are here; you have guns and armor, and you shoot at policemen attempting a legal arrest. I don't know the law in your country, but here this is called resisting arrest, and it is illegal. As is possession of that fancy gun you carry." Yuri glances pointedly at the assault weapon Brian's holding.

"As you say, I am working with you at the moment for the purpose of finding Ms. Spiner. However, don't construe that as meaning that you have any rights here or that I will let you waltz out of the country with a wanted felon.

"Oh, and by the way, we have a pretty thick file on Ms. Spiner, her associates, and our activities prior to coming here. We have a very good idea of who and what we are dealing with. We also have a pretty good idea who these other elements you speak of are. However, any interest they have in coming here is due to Ms. Spiner, and that is one more thing that she has to answer for."

Stepping closer to the one called Moten, Yuri notes what the man has found. "Ahh, a trapdoor. That would explain how Jessica and Anatoli escaped when we moved in to capture them. Thank you for finding that; I'm sure it will answer many questions."

One of Peter's "Experiments" begins to hum with a terrible sound of pain and instability. He looks at it for a brief moment as it finally whirs down to an inactive state.

"Hmm?"

Ignoring the looks of his team mates, he walks over to the strange-shaped box, presses a few buttons and opens a hatch.

"Anybody need some ballistical gel?"

Moten grabs a soda bottle off the floor and puts it in his pocket. "DNA. If we find blood, we can be sure that it's not Miss Spiner's. As for the trapdoor, there's only one way to find out what's down there." He opens the hatch. "Coming?"

"Ah," says Yuri, "so you don't believe she was injured in the firefight when we stormed Anatoli's apartment?"

Yuri looks down into the darkened sewer tunnels beneath the trapdoor. "Of course." He and Mikhail will accompany Brian and Moten into the tunnels.

Let's split up.

Good idea, we do more damage that way.

:cheesy:

Approximately one hour after Brian's last transmission.

Ayumi and Carla book passage on the next train leaving from Novosibirsk to Krasnoyarsk. Artis and Peter see them off at the trainstation then get into the rig and head out.

Back in Krasnoyarsk...

Moten gestures for Yuri and Mikhail to take the lead as it is their investigation. The first thing Yuri notices is that there is fresh blood on the slippery rungs of the rope ladder leading down. It's obvious someone recently went down this way. Bottoming out in a dead-end of a service tunnel, Yuri asserts that it's part of the old forced-heat ventilation system of pre-war Krasnoyarsk. Yuri's leather shoes begin to soak through from the standing water under foot.

Climbing down, Yuri notes the blood from the wet, sticky sensation on his fingers. "Moten. If you're looking for blood to take a sample of, there seems to be plenty down here. Looks reasonably fresh, too."

A grimace crawls across Yuri's face as his socks start to get wet while he and Mikhail wait for the foreigners to join them. Yuri looks about for a drier place to stand.

After a few minutes of driving, the rig starts to leave Novosibirsk. Peter takes that as his cue to start talking.

"We'll probably need to switch every two hours or so, the route's not exactly scenic at this time of the year. As I showed you, there's a small bunk in the back. If you need coffee, snacks or anything, look back there, it's got everything but the kitchen sink. I don't have a DVD player installed yet, but you can watch stuff on my laptop. Monster Garage, Junkyard Wars, or Pimp My Ride if you're into that stuff."

Yuri steps up on to the narrow ledge that runs on either side of the tunnel, shaking out the excess water. Mikhail steps off the ladder and before Yuri can mention it, he too gets an ankle-deep worth of water in his shoes.

(cursing in Russian)

Up the passageway, Moten laughs and warns Brian of the impending splash. They follow the Russians down soon after. Heading down the corridor, Yuri follows the smeared bloodtrail on the tunnel walls. It looks as if Anatoli (or Jess for that matter) took quite a nasty shot and was bleeding accordingly.

Moten takes a sterile swab from his case and samples the blood. "Well, whoever was shot probably knows where our subject is. Let's follow the blood trail and see where it leads us."