I step out of the portal, and being the last one through experience a small rush of wind as it closes behind me.

After listening to the options laid forth by Keith, I volunteer myself to get information from the townspeople.

I assure that as soon as I find any information I'll relay it, and start towards the city proper.

I roll my eyes at Keith's pathetic attempt to be the "leader".

"Umm...next time you should do your homework, so you'll avoid sounding like a complete idiot. Hobart is a large metropolis...there are no damn caves around here!"

I point to the large buildings, some appearing to be beach-front resorts.

"Also, you forgot a little something didn't you?"

Holds up TPA.

"Your pathetic....what if we ran into a Free portal, huh? What were we going to do then? I'm out of here....I'll meet up with you guys later when I find a lead...and I'm taking this with me, just in case."

I walk off, even though I hear protest among them.

Later on, I stopped at one of those "tourist" outlets and bought several outfits, so I could blend in and avoid any suspicion. Also, I just couldn't help myself, especially when it comes to clothes! When will I ever get a chance to shop here in Aussie again? But Damn....$50.00 for a pair of shorts? They must be really fucked up or something....Fucking highway robbery right there.

After looking around for anything "secluded" in this vast town, via a few brochurets and tourist sights, I came across "the Domain" as the locals call it. Small, hilly, a bushland, good distance away from the city, not too many locals around...sounds like an Excellent spot to begin my search.

I discovered the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens within the Area. I decided to take this little detour, due to my love of plants, and possibly gain some info on the area from the caretakers.

After visiting a few of the exhibits (My favorite being the Fushia Garden), I decided to talk with the Owner about the history of "The Domain".

"So...what can you tell me about the area? Was there anything here before the Garden?

If so, what is its history?

Anything unusual happen in the area in its past, or lately?

I watched as B_C walked away. Pitiful really, he had such a potential to be a good agent. I shake my head slowly at the thought. He'd probably end up being the damsel in distress.

I looked at the rest of the crew, smiling. "Now, if anybody else feels like getting caught and being a hostage, please step forward now."

EDIT-

as i come thru the portal and see B_C walk away from the squad

sibunad- i'll ask some tivilians if anything "weird" is happning but first change my cloths it's friggin hot here and i'm wearin a tuxedo!

after i change my cloths i see a surfer looking out to sea. i thought he might have some good answers to my questions
i had to act natural, had to start easy and to the main questions.
sibunad- hey i'm a reporter and i wanna ask some question about some rumours and weird stuff hapining here can you tell me anything?
(leo's answers)
who has eywitness evidence?
(leo's answer)
anyone who was involved in some sort like a sibling or parent perhaps? (leo's answer)

Sorry, sibunad, but we can't include the events of your post in the storyline of this mission.

The reason I asked that no one control anyone but himself is that these missions are like "puzzles": there is one definite path that this storyline can go, and when you control "NPC"s and other agents, you're creating your own path.

If you or anyone else would like to interact with an "NPC"-like character (I.E.: townsfolk), do like B_C did: create your dialogue and you'll get the response soon enough.

Poor sibunad....Lmao he should listen to instructions better.

As the scene unfolded in front of my eyes, I watched as B_C stormed off in a direction Keith clearly wasn't willing to take. After his departure, Keith, appearingly more certain of himself than ever, glared at the rest of us and asked with a smile if anymore would like to leave the group. Not giving him enough time to resume his sentence, I stepped forward

"Look assface ... B_C is right. We're definitely not going to get anywhere with you in command, and as a matter of fact, we're not going to get anywhere under anyone else's leadership. Do we look like a fucking Jehovah's Witnessing Group? How long do you think our cover will last while we parade around Hobart interrogating civilians in uniform? Would you really like to jeopardize our mission with your overzealous tactics? Read a fucking book next time, I'm mobile"

With everyone's eyes on me, I swing my rusack over my shoulder. It contained a change of clothes, one Magnetic Disruptor, some cash, a walkie talkie, and one TPA Vacuum (uncharged, but I had my charger with me). Shaking my head, I silently pull away from the group, and I can overhear Keith speaking in his usual overture to the group. How long they would last, I dont' know, but if they all stuck together, they were going to get nowhere, fast.


Hiding behind some rocks on a nearby beach, I changed my aparatus unsually quick. I was sporting some Nike blue & white striped sweats, Reebok's new G-Unit B&W Pump basketball shoes, a shortsleeve Nike black dry-fit t-shirt, and some Emporio Armani shades. Gathering my things, I started towards Sandy Bay, where I knew little to nothing about, only that my first landmark would be their infamous Wrest Point Hotel Casino. I needed a room to stay for however long we were on this mission, and I was thankful my lackey-mates reminded me to bring cash.

"Unfucking believable .. ," I mutter to myself.


I knew I should have stopped and asked for directions, but part of me did not want to interact with the locals there, in fear of them discovering my real identity. Besides, most of the passerbys looked like tourists as well, so I didn't pay much attention to them. I was lost within the bustling utopia which was Salamanca market, and eventually I had to ask for directions from one of the local souvenier stands. Sandy Bay was a nice place to visit, but I had no time for the petty items being advertised to me. I managed to pick up Leo some lucky crickets, knowing his ass would like something when we returned.

1 Hour Later

As I entered the capacious hotel, the breeze of their air-conditioning brought a soothing kiss onto my sunburned forearms (I forgot my sunscreen, damnit!). Not wasting any time, I immediately checked into the hotel, only being able to afford the Mountain Side suite. It didn't matter to me, however, as long as I had somewhere to sleep. The price of accomodation was much more than I had expected, so I used a forged Visa Card to take care of the cost. Heading upstairs to my room, I overheard a rather obnoxious couple talk about the Hotel's big-ticket casino, and how they both planned to get rich that night. I thought about starting my investigation within the premises as I entered my room with a swipe of my card.

11:00 PM

I rented a cheap but well-tailored suit from the Hotel's Armani Xchange retail store on the bottom floor, and marched myself to their exclusive casino. Entering, I saw the building was vast, the atmosphere exploded with the high and low pitched voices of conversation. I tried my hand at a few of the slots, not really interested in winning, although I did score a free drink at the bar in the VIP lounge. Using this to my advantage, I took my prize upstairs into the disco room, where the heavy bass of trance music blocked out any form of sound. People were dancing on the club floor, totally oblivious to me entering the room. Perfect, I thought to myself as I strode towards the bar. I showed the barman my prize slip, and he brought me a martini on the rocks. As we conversed that night I asked him the following questions, in sequential order:

Where might I be able to find "a good time" here in town?

What's the historical backround of this Casino?

Is there anyone I can talk to about mysterious happenings lately?

Have you seen anything unsual yourself?

Where should I look if I need more information on the mysterious events occuring as of late?

OOC: If the city isn't waterfront, can we just make it that way? Thanks. :D

IC: I watched as X walked off. Before anybody else could leave, I spoke up. "Now before, you decide to follow them, just hear me out. They obviously weren't interested in hearing what I had to say. We were going to split up anyway, but I just wanted to hand out assignments before we did. S_S, if you have no objections, I'd like you to examine the area surrounding the City. Any items with a littlebit of magic in, pick it up, and bring it back to the extraction point. Tonight, at midnight, we are to come back here, and share our evidence. Now if you all will excuse me, I have some people to talk to." I said with my smile again, giving no one a chance to object.

My first stop in the City was to change my clothes. I changed into a basic wife-beater and some denim shorts. My black and blue Nike's attracted no special attention either. I head out of the store, and walked down the main street. Shops lined the street, anything from fake purses, to food, to jewelry. I quickly figured that this would be a perfect place to start. I saw an old, African man sitting back, his shop selling soulvneirs was empty. (In shop I mean a little stand that they sit behind, catch my drift?)

I walked up the stand, looking through the souveiners.

"Can I help you sir?" He asked, in a very more British accent than Australian. "Yes, you can." "What do you need?" I thought of buying a few of these trinkets anyway, they looked kind of cool. I picked up a glass boat, about five inches long, two inches wide. "How much for this fine thing?" "Twenty Dollars, American." I pulled out a fifty and handed it to him. "Sir, I don't have thirty dollars change." "The other thirty is for some information." He shot me an inquisitive look. "I need some.... local knowledge... if you will." He nodded his head, still a little confused. "If I were to, perform, anything privately, where would I do it?" "Umm, there's a little cove, about a half-kilometer down the beach." "I see. If I needed more room than that, approximately a space with a nintey-foot circumforance, where would I go?"
Leo's Answer Here

And what do you know about the recent... occurences here?

I watched as X and B_C walked off, and as Keith handed me my 'assignment' I wondered if I shouldn't have followed them.

After being told the obvious, I took off towards the outskirts of the city. I doubted I would find any "magical" items, but I knew that there'd be one or two seedy nightclubs that would be frothing with information.

Like X, I'd brought my own change of clothes, something casual: faded denim jeans, a button up shirt, and a black leather jacket, complimenting my leather boots.

As I wandered around one of the local shanty's, I noticed a rather boisterous club with the name "Le Serpant Rouge." It was still early in the day, so I wandered closer to the actual city, blending in with most of the citizens. I walked into a nearby hotel and booked a room, using cash. I took a quick nap, and decided to spend the rest of the evening lounging in the hotel's bar. The barista brought me my standard White Russian, and I casually made small talk with her, bringing in a few questions I hoped would bring me closer to some sort of answer:

"What kind of place is 'Le Serpant Rouge'?"

"Who owns the place?"

"Have you perchance noticed anything a bit...abnormal around this place recently?"

"That club looks rather new and out of place where it is...has it always been there, or is it a new edition?"

as i leave the beach and head to a hotel bellhop-welcome to Hotel Grand Chancellor sibunad- where's the person who owns this place?
bellhop- may i ask why?
sibunad- yes i'm a reporter
i take a card i got from this guy talking about his store and i wave it around fast enough so he coulnd't read it
bell hop- ummm... right this way
the bellhop brought me to an office.
bellhop- he's over there on the chair
sibunad- hello
owner- what is it!?
he spun the chair around looking at me, he looked old, fat, he had black and grey hair only one the sides of his head and was smokeing tabbaco, and as the bellhop left and closed the door he said...
owner- what is it?
sibunad- i have some questions for you if you don't mind
owner- go ahead
anything strange happen here or around this hotel?
(leo's answer)
do you know anyone of your guest that have some thing wierd going on in there room?
(leo's answer)
any history thats wierd or brought chaos around your hotel?
(leo's answer)

Sinubad, do you not realize that, that post didn't happen either? You have to stick to the storyline. Right now, you're still standing at the beach, entry point. If a little boy gets sucked into a portal, Leo's going to have to say it to us, we can't make up a storyline changing event on our own. In an essence, for this thread, Leo's god.

P.S. Why would you tell a random old-lady that we're the OIA. If that actually happened, she could have called in the Black Dragon, or whatever, and have them kill us.

..:::: Gathering Information ::::..
"Hidden Hazard" - Step 2

~ B_C ~

Changing my monitor to capture the feed of B_C's secret camera, I see him approaching the owner of the Botanical Gardens and getting right into the questions. I watch intently in hopes of overhearing vital information.

B_C: "So...what can you tell me about the area? Was there anything here before the Garden? If so, what is its history? "

Owner: "I'm not a tour guide, son, and I barely know anything about what was here before the Garden. Only thing I've seen closed up around the Domain is the Zoo."

B_C: "Anything unusual happen in the area in its past, or lately?"

Owner: "Only thing unusual I've seen is weird foreigners like yourself suddenly deciding to pop up around here. It's not like there's anything too special in this town!"




~ X ~

I was intrigued by the words of the Botanical Garden's owner, but I had to check into the other agents and see what they were digging up. Maybe everyone would attain a different piece of this puzzle and put it together to identify the main threat.

X was my next spying target. Switching my monitor to focus on his camera, I notice he's carelessly thrown it on top of the bar counter in order to enjoy his drink. I find myself staring at a large glass of hard liquor and frantically trying to make out the mishapen blur that was X and the bartender he was speaking with.

X: "Where might I be able to find "a good time" here in town? "

Bartender (inching closer to X): "Don't tell too many people, but a very... "special" young lady is staying in Room 306. If you can afford enough tries on the slots to win this fine drink, you should get her to bend a couple ways."

X: "What's the historical backround of this Casino?"

I see the bartender give a jolt of surprise and almost drop the rectangular glass he'd been casually swiping a cloth at.

Bartender: "What the hell? You go from asking where you can find a prostitute to wanting a history lesson? I'm the last person you wanna talk to about who our president is, much less ancient history."

X: "Well, is there anyone I can talk to about mysterious happenings lately?"

Bartender: "The only 'odd' thing you'll hear about is that a local woman disappeared a couple days ago. The news says she was seen taking a stroll around the fuel storage depot in the Domain... you know, where the remains of that zoo are... and never came back home. All I can tell you is what I saw on the news and what recent rumors are all about."

X: "Have you seen anything unsual yourself?"

Bartender (with a laugh): "Yeah, a guy who likes hookers and mysteries."

X (eyeroll): "Where should I look if I need more information on the mysterious events occuring as of late?"

Bartender: "Uuuh... I dunno. You could try the police, but I doubt they'll disclose much information. There's the missing woman's son who's staying with his aunt over at the cabin at the Derwent River last I heard. Aaaand... there's also our little 'friend' staying at 306. Why don't slip me a couple bucks, rich guy, and we'll go see how she's doing, eh?"

Beginning to feel repulsed by X's new friend, I make a note of the bartender's words and proceed to check on Keith.




~ Keith ~

My view from Keith's hidden camera was of his hands analyzing a small glass boat. "That would look nice in my desk", I thought to myself, but soon after wiped such vague and useless thoughts from my mind in order to focus on the conversation the agent was having with the store owner.

Keith: "...If I needed more room than that, approximately a space with a nintey-foot circumforance, where would I go?"

Store Owner: "Well, I'm no good at math, sir, but Mount Wellington's a pretty big and empty place. You could also try the vacant area where there are remains of our zoo from 70 years ago, but that place is property of the Royal Australian Navy. If you wanna do crime, you're going to get into trouble! Now, why don't you try less with the questions and more with the buying? I'm broke!"




~ Soul_Stealer ~

Checking up on Soul_Stealer, I see him enjoying a White Russian in the bar area of a trendy little hotel. He chooses the barista to inquire, and I skeptically turn up the volume of the monitor in hopes to making their voices clearer and more dominant amid the incessent murmuring of the crowd around the bar.

Soul_Stealer: "What kind of place is 'Le Serpant Rouge'?"

Barista: "It's a dance club. It's alright, but there are much better ones around town if you're visiting. That one is a bit... shady. Some real dark characters around there, the police has problems with the place all the time. I was invited to go there just yesterday by this strange freak trying to pick me up out of nowhere." (She rolls her eyes and shakes her head feverishly) "If you're here with your wife or girlfriend or whatever, watch out for him."

Soul_Stealer: "Who owns the place?"

Barista: "I have no idea. Whoever it is, he or she doesn't like the public eye. Wouldn't be surprised if the owner is doing time right now, either."

Soul_Stealer: "Have you perchance noticed anything a bit...abnormal around this place recently?"

Barista: "In here? No, just that freak. This is actually a pretty boring place, you should've stayed somewhere more exciting." (She laughs).

Soul_Stealer: "That club looks rather new and out of place where it is...has it always been there, or is it a new addition?"

Barista: "I wouldn't be able to tell you, I just moved here last month. Would you like another drink?"

Smiling, I thank the bartender for his invaluable time. I throw him a tip and quietly exit the lounge, my head a little light from the music. Exiting the casino, I notice a rather large assembly gathered near the entrance of the hotel, but I don't have time to stop and check it out. Relaying back to my room, I enter and prop myself onto my silk covered bed. I tear my neck-tie off; it's cutting off the oxygen supply to my now throbbing head. Drowsily, I rummage through my rusack and locate my walkie talkie. I enter the 4 digit passcode and it greets me with a slight chirp. Exasperated, I huff into the speaker:

2:35 AM

"General Leo, agent X reporting in for duty."

A pause, and then

"It appears as if a woman has become unlocatable within the premises of Domain, an abandoned depot station near the remains of a zoo. Deeper conversation with the Bartender of the Wrest Point Casino's VIP Lounge gave me a lead: the missing woman's son is staying with his Aunt over at Derwent River. I plan to visit said son early next morning, try to catch him as he leaves his house."

Before I close, I say with a smile

"Oh ... and uh, General. If you're ever in town again .. come check out Room 307. I'll bet she's your type of girl. Agent X, over and out."

With a sigh, I shut down my walkie talkie and place it back in my bag. Peering around the room, I decide to venture inside the kitchen for a early morning snack. I manage to snag a bottle of water, and a dull kitchen knife to keep beside me as I sleep. Looking around the room, I take out my TPA Vacuum and charger and set it up to charge overnight. I take the knife and slip it underneath my pillow, and fall asleep

Having learned nothing of vital importance from the barista, I decide it may be a good idea to see if the owner of the club is indeed in jail. The Black Dragon has been known to operate out of a few clubs, so this guy should either have information on them, or, if I'm lucky, he'll be a member. I look at my watch and see it's only pushing 2 am....the real party scene doesn't start for at least another hour.

I go back to my room and set the alarm to go off in an hour, and fall into a light sleep; my Glock 19 nestled safely in my hand.

After purchasing the glass boat, and finishing my conversation with the man, I turned around. There were alot of places to stay for the night, so I decided to go into one of these nameless hotels. After purchasing a nice three-star room, I head sat down on my bed. I pulled out my TBA and my Magnectic Disruptor, placing them both on the bedside table. I was charing the TBA when I thought it'd be best to check in with the Genral.

I reached for my walkie-talkie, inputing the four digit code, and pressed the talk button.

"Sir, I have two leads. One, is a flat area atop Mt. Wellington (Whatever the name was :D), a local shop owner told me that there's room up there, ideal for a portal I think."

I waited a second before continuing.

"Also, the shop-keeper told me that the remains of the old zoo has been having strange occurences as of late. Somebody went missing, and what not. I think I'm going to check out the mountain-top area first, than the remains of the zoo. Oh, and by the way, I got you a gift.

Keith, over and out.

I pulled out my combat knife, clutched it with my hand under the pillow, and fell asleep.

~ X ~

I tread around my spacious office, gaping at the blank walls and lack of "energy" that they had despite a random painting and a trinket here and there. Then I remember something...

I hurry over to a backpack slumped on the black leather couch and pull the zipper, opening it up fully. I withdraw the two gifts X had given me when he joined the Agency. They were both an astonishing display of his skills, and would give my office the livelihood I felt it needed!

On the spot right beside the entrance, I placed the first one:



I marveled at it for a few seconds before picking the spot for the second one. Hmm... the wall leading into my private sector looks boring with just that one clock. I hurry over to it and liven it up a little with the second piece.



Just then, my communicator sounds. I pick it up and listen to the words of X regarding his latest findings (nice timing!).

When the message ends, I reply after a few seconds of pondering.

"It is very likely that this strange disappearence has something to do with whoever is playing with portals down there. I want this woman recovered safe and sound when this is all over, Agent.

Do try and speak with her son to find out more about what happened. Maybe something he says could eventually lead you to a big discovery. We can only hope.

You've done an amazing job in the O.I.A. so far, X. I think it's past due time that you rank up. When you come back (hopefully brimming with success) be sure to move straight into our base."



"Congratulations! Report your progress to me A.S.A.P., Rookie. I'm getting another call."

~ Keith ~

I see that this next message belongs to Keith. I listen carefully to the results of his latest escapades before responding with my own.

"Mount Wellington, huh? Wouldn't hurt to check it out. As for the remains of the old zoo, X has already told me about it. He seems intent on looking into the disappearence and seeing if links exist between it and our target.

Be sure to report your progress to me as it develops, Keith."


=================================================

Soul_Stealer, I also think it's about time you rank up. You took part in Combat Training, showed great promise during, and continues to be involved and active in the O.I.A. You've proven your abilities and will with your continuous participation.



Best of luck here on out!

Attention:

Everyone in the O.I.A. is now an "Outerworld Investigation Agency Rookie". I would like to remind everyone that ranking up from "Special Forces Lackey" is the easiest to do thus far. Expect future promotions to take longer and be toughter to acquire!

I wake up nice and early, 7:30 A.M. local time.

I sheath my combat knife, and throw on the same outfit as yesterday. I grab a water-bottle, pocket it in my back pocket, and head towards the mountain. On my way out, I check the message on my walkie-talkie from Leo, and decide that the zoo is probably where I'll find something, but the mountian drew me to it for some reason.

I climbed the mountain with ease, being in outstanding physical shape didn't hinder the matter much. As I reached the top I saw....

I awake to a beeping from my PDA, a full 20 minutes before my next planned incursion. I smile as I see my promotion, and send the General a thank you note.

I head back over to the club, this time taking a leisurely route. Along the way I use my PDA to pull up some information on the club owner, and find that his name is Ricardo Mullins.

I pass by a newspaper kiosk, and see that a woman has recently gone missing in the Domain, possibly near the shabby old ruins of a non-descript zoo. I file this away, and continue into the nightclub.

The place is massive, at least five levels of massive, and teeming with the routine ravers and druggies.

I head over to the bar, and after observing the general crowd, I see a man, clearly an addict, with a Black Dragon tatoo on his hand, and a staff shirt on; this best of both worlds for me it seems!

I head over, hoping that his need to consume more drugs will impair his judgements. Judging by the desperate look in his eyes, I'm right. I guide him over to a small, out of the way table and slip him 500 euros. He is now obviously enamored with his new benefactor, so I choose now to drop a couple of questions on him, using my best Australian accent:

"So...I've heard that Mullins is in the brig again...what's it for this time?"

"You look like the sort of fellow that gets around abit...have you noticed anything unusual around town, specifically anything near the old zoo?"

(Depending on his answer): Would any of these strange instances also have anything to do with the woman reported missing yesterday evening?"

~ Soul_Stealer ~

The signal from the monitor wakes me in the middle of my sleep, but knowing how much more important details of the agents' progress is than a full 8 hours of rest, I hurry over to it and turn it on.

The bad vibe is instant: Soul_Stealer is in a strange sort of nightclub in late hours, speaking with a dangerous-looking character.

Soul_Stealer: "So...I've heard that Mullins is in the brig again...what's it for this time?"

Addict: "(sniff) Boss did fucked up again, y'know. It's them fucking cops, mate, always sticking their motherfucking noses where they don't belong. (sniff) Now they wanna charge him with kidnapping, just because he's done a few things wrong before. (sniff) Boss ain't done shit like that, though, or I'd know about it. Fuck..."

Soul_Stealer: "You look like the sort of fellow that gets around a bit...have you noticed anything unusual around town, specifically anything near the old zoo?"

Addict: "Why the fuck would I go to a fucking zoo for, do I look like the type of guy who'd wanna see a zoo? (sniff) I don't know shit about no zoo."

The "thug" suddenly shoots up from his seat and cracks his knuckles, staring hungrily at Soul_Stealer, who also gets to his feet and defies the antagonizing stare before him.

Addict: "Enough mindless talking! (sniff) I liked that money you gave me... bet you got a lot more of it in your pocket, don't ya? Hand it over now, mate, don't make me take it from you."

Three more equally-shady club-goers emerge from behing the thug speaking with Soul_Stealer.

Slight fret comes over me, but I'm forced to turn my attention from the scene as the clock strikes 7:51am and I get a request from Keith's cam.




~ Keith ~

Upon activating it, I'm welcomed into the feed of Keith's camera; it seems he's taken up resuming his mission earlier than I anticipated.

I move closer and watch as he ascends the mountain, tension building up as if I were enjoying a suspense flick...

...Along with the Rookie, I see a beaten-down, rugged cabin where a large group of trees begin and grow into a forest. It has clearly been reinforced: the windows have been boarded up, holes on the roof have been neatly covered, and the front door is barricaded by a feeble-looking lock.

I frown, trying to make out whether or not I am looking at anything important, or nothing but a simple, abandoned cabin in a recreational area of Hobart...

As I reached the top of the mountain, I was surprised. It was alot larger than I thought it'd be, to the point that there was a little forest on the far side. But what caught my attention was an old cabin. But that wasn't the unsual part.

The cabin was obvioulsy reinforced, and was in recent-use. I crept forward silently, still gripping my knife. As I reached the exterior wall, I listened in to the board covering the wall. I heard a voice, and then two, and then four. I couldn't make out words, but the differnet tones of voices gave them away. I slowly circled the cabin, making sure to avoid the front door.

My tactical mind told me to wait in the trees, my instinct saying charge the house. I keyed the mic to Leo's walkie-talkie. I spoke silently.

ok who do i ask if i wanna wear the sig so i can try and get more people to join the oia? leo or X cuz leo is the god of this clan but X made the sig soo...?

Apparently done with my questions, the addict and three of his buddies stand up. The addict wants to see what other cash I've got, and he doesn't look like he'll take no for an answer. Oh well...

They proceed to take me towards the back of the club, the addict now in the possession of a small pistol that is placed squarely in the small of my back. They haven't tied my arms with anything, so for now I am content to let them take me wherever they want; I don’t want any civilian casualties.

We finally reach small room, with two of the goons staying at the door, the other goon and the addict forcing me into the room. It’s sparse with bright lighting, initially blinding me after the gloom of the club’s main floor. I take a quick look around, and see concrete walls, floor, and even ceiling, with only cardboard boxes nestled into the corners; nothing of use.

The addict is right handed, and the goon that followed us in is standing to his far right, near the wall. Knowing that I only have one chance at this, I spin quickly to my left, twisting his right wrist with my left arm just in time to avoid the bullet that just left the chamber of his gun. Simultaneously, I draw my Glock 19 and place a bullet into the goons head, and smash the addict’s face with my left elbow.

As he falls, I snatch his pistol, and turn slightly to see the door begin to open; I use the addict’s pistol to place three rounds into the second goons chest, and mine to place two rounds into the third goons head.

I walk over and drag the bodies inside, and close the door from any eyes that might wander our way. I walk back over to the addict, who is moaning and hold his bleeding nose.

I grab him by the collar, and throw him into the far wall at the end of the room, watching him crumple into a crying mess on the boxes.

I level my pistol to his forehead.

“You know as well as I do that I won’t hesitate to kill you if you piss me off again. Let’s try this once more:”

“You say Mullins is in for kidnapping...I presume he’s responsible for the woman’s disappearance? Where did he take her?”

“You got awfully when I got upset when I asked about the zoo. How does that play into this? What’s going on down there?”

“One last question...how badly do you want to live?”

~ Soul_Stealer ~

While Keith approached the obscure cabin, I decided to check in on whether Soul_Stealer was alive or not.

I raise one eyebrow in mild surprise when I see a previously-empty room now littered with limp bodies of goons and drops of blood on the walls, but more interesting, Soul_Stealer inspecting the fallen body of the addict he'd been speaking with in the main level of the club. Clearly, you can't fight whatsoever when you're buzzed.

Soul_Stealer: "You say Mullins is in for kidnapping...I presume he’s responsible for the woman’s disappearance? Where did he take her?"

Addict: "Are you fucking insane? I already told you he ain't done shit or I'd know about it! The cops wanna charge him with that dumb-ass disappearence because he's the one they blame for everything when they can't solve a crime!"

Soul_Stealer: "“You got awfully upset when I asked about the zoo. How does that play into this? What’s going on down there?”

Addict: "There ain't shit going on down there! All I know is that I heard the cops saying it was the last place that bitch was seen before she disappeared! I don't know nothing else and neither does my boss! Dammit, I hate motherfuckin' undercovers."

Soul_Stealer: "One last question...how badly do you want to live?”

Addict (spitting blood at the agent): "Fuck you, you're gonna kill me, anyway! I'll see you in hell!"

I feel the need to speak with Soul_Stealer during this insane event in his mission, but not to my surprise, I'm forced to turn my attention to a slightly more pressing matter: the clear words on my communicator tell me Keith has explored the exterior of the cabin and discovered something.





~ Keith ~

"You have no idea who the four people in the cabin are, and therefore you cannot judge how dangerous they are together. Hide among the trees and bushes beside the cabin and wait until someone leaves the structure. Whoever leaves, you must take in his features to the point where you'll be able to recognize him or her a second time.

Once that happens, your orders are to break down the front door of the cabin and question whomever is left inside. If attacked, use force and get answers. Feel free to call for back-up from the other agents."

I can't bring myself to draw my eyes away from the monitor that is allowing me into the scene before Keith. I feel both eagerness and a touch of anxiety as I watch the Rookie creep into hiding and wait for the next catalyst event.

I find myself not waiting for long. Just when I was considering preparing a breakfast (Colleen, the nurse, had sent me a batch of pancakes), the front door of the mysterious cabin opens with an annoying CREAK.

Three of the men inside walk out. The first one turns and leaves the one still inside with a farewell warning.

Man #1: "Keep it safe, Reynold. We're all dead if even more things go wrong before he gets here."

Reynold (from inside the cabin): "I know that, you need to stop telling me, I don't take orders from you. Just go, already."

And without another word, the three men make sure the front door is shut tight, and begin their journey down Mount Wellington and out of mine and Keith's sight.

"Coast is clear. You have your orders."

I watch intently as Keith leaves his secure spot and, with as little noise as possible, approaches the front door of the cabin and carefully turns the knob. Nothing.

"The lock! Use your knife and detach the lock!"

Keith whips out his combat knife and begins to toy with the lock. The weakened state it seemed to be in was credible, and soon enough, the blade causes it to pop out of place with a high-pitched SNAP.

I'm almost touching my face against the screen of the monitor at this point. Still certain to keep himself from causing another racket, regardless of how insignificant, Keith turns the knob one more time and, this time, succeeds in opening the front door just enough to peek inside.

He, his hidden camera, and myself see nothing within the walls of the cabin but a moldy-looking dining table, counters and refrigerator desperately in need of a wet cloth, and and a crummy-looking bed.

Keith steps in, confused. The next thing I see is my screen diving for the floor as "Reynold" suddenly emerges from behind the door and nails Keith with a haymaker, then picks the agent up and hurls him across the room and onto the dining table.

Quick note: I am a he

I was unsure of whether or not the slimy addict was telling me everything, but for now he’d told me enough.

I briefly thought about putting a bullet in his head as well, but instead I slammed the butt of my pistol across his temple, knocking him unconscious. I rummage his pockets finding my money (which I put back in my pocket!), a cell phone, and two keys set together on a single ring. One looked like it’d fit the room I was in, but I’d test it later.

I went through a few of the boxes, finding some wiring I used to bind the addict’s legs and arms, and some duct tape to put over his mouth. Once he was secure, I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me. I am satisfied to find that one of the keys I now had did indeed lock the door; I walked off, chewing over the information I’d gathered.

My first thought was to visit the Royal Navy offices to see if I could get any information out of them but I needed rest, and it was only 3:45 am.

I called into the General with the information I had, and inquired as to whether or not my next planned itinerary was sufficient, or if he saw another area I should focus on.

I had popped the door open, and was immedieatly surprised. The interior of this crummy old cabin looked like it wasn't even flammible. I was ready to step in and investiagte further when I felt a huge blow land on my head. I was sent reeling, and before I knew it, I was sent flying across the room, through the table. I layed (lye?) through the table for a second, trying to regain my focus. I saw the man advancing, and my foot shot out, hitting him in the gut.

I jumped up quickly, blocking an incoming punch, before sending one of my own. The next few seconds was a blur of punches, countered by forearms, countered by elbows, evaded with kicks, followed by more punches. Finally, an elbow of my got through, crushing his eye socket. At that opportunity I pounced.

I punched him twice, hard, and he collapsed to the floor. I whipped out my knife, and stabbed him between the ribs.

"Listen to me prick, you're going to answer my questions, or feel more of this.

I twisted the handle of the knife, my other hand clamped over his mouth, muffling the scream.

"What is this place?

Do you Work for the Black Dragon?

What's going on?

What's the portal for? Who's comin in?"

As soon as his answers finished, I heard the door open up. I looked up, and standing there before were three men, all obviously surprised, yet angry at the sight before them. "Fucking great." I muttered beneath my breath.