Introduction thru Episode 4 - Cyberpunk Adventures

Introduction: Prelude to War – 2050

Most sane people say they abhor war, yet humanity keeps waging it. Their excuses sound rational and logical at the time, but often, it’s not the people who start it that suffer from its consequences. Pride and arrogance paint governments into a corner where soon they feel they have no other option. Crusade, Manifest Destiny, White Man’s Burden, Lebesraum, or Jihad etc., all are excuses that have been used in the past. Western Europe with its European Union has declared its ‘Culture pour toute l’Humanité / Kultur für die ganze Menschheit‘ (Culture for all Humanity) to be the answer for all the troubles of mankind. They feel they have built a shining civilization out of a group of peoples of many languages and traditions. Under their leadership they will unite the world and boldly lead humanity into the stars.

Here theory and practice diverge. This noble cause is built on a foundation of economic greed and cultural arrogance. Also there are other forces afoot with different agendas. Some are open and compete in the public arenas of geopolitics. Others lurk in shadows and weave their webs of deceit to control events in secret. Into this mix, add technology spiraling out of control with new breakthroughs in Artificial Intelligence, cybernetics, nano-tech and biology, and Humanity stands on the brink of a glorious new age or destruction … maybe both!

Even the concept of what is truly human is now in doubt. The recent creation of hybrid animal-humans, synthetic lifeforms and artificial intelligence is seen by many as a challenge to mankind’s claim of being the dominant species on the planet. Some of these biogenetic hybrid species now self-replicate naturally and are not content to settle for second class status or in some cases no status at all. This is especially dangerous as some of these biogens are physically and mentally superior in many ways.

How to react to the demands of these ‘Children of Humanity’ is a question that troubles many in power. The Martian Republic embraces them and is trying to build a truly multi-species society of all sentient constructs. The EU tolerates them, but hatred of the Martian State makes life there difficult for any biogen since they are suspected of being agents of the Red Planet. China has no use for them. Russia just wants to use them. The United States grants them rights, but how that is honored varies wildly from state to state. Many conservative Muslim countries consider them an abomination and expel them at best, kill them on detection at worst. As far as detecting them, the vaccination and cure for the Carbon Plague makes them hard to distinguish from true humans except by DNA testing or autopsy. Since people believe there aren’t actually very many to begin with, most countries operate on a kind of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy.

World Wars don’t usually just erupt full blown. Historians like to give dates to these things. The First World War was preceded by thirty years of colonial squabbles between the great European powers (including the United States of America) and two nasty, brutish but short Balkan Wars. For World War II, Europeans like to say 1939, Russians 1940, Americans 1941. The Chinese could argue that the war began in 1931 with the Mukden or Liutiaohu Incident. For Ethiopia it began in 1936 with the second invasion by Italy in 50 years. The political and philosophical clash that culminated in the Second World War bled Spain from 1936 to 1939. For World War III in our cyberpunk universe, the first stream of the conflict starts in the civil war wracked Czech Republic.

Kyle and Catherine Vaduva now run the Bast Corporation, a New Zealand security corporation. This company has grown from a small personal bodyguard and training firm used to launder money for the Caitlin biogens into a medium size business with offices in many locations around the world. As a Commonwealth company they try to stay out of the increasing rivalry between the EU and the United States. Still, they have a personal connection with Nathan Forrest, the new Associate Deputy Director of the C.I.A., and Cat Vaduva is a loyal supporter of President David Whindam. This leads them to do the occasional job for the agency. Of course they aren’t averse to doing an occasional job for Interpol either.

The first part of Prelude to War involves a job for Nathan Forrest and the C.I.A. Chatter has identified that Interpol (and especially the German elements of that organization) is desperate to get their hands on something or someone named Felix in the Czech Republic. Felix’s nature is a mystery, but if the EU wants it so badly so does the United States. Sending in an agency team is out of the question, so the job is contracted out to the Bast Corporation. That organization is in the process of putting together an elite group of operatives they have named the Ghost Teams. These groups can go anywhere, be anyone, and are equipped with the finest technology the Collective can produce. They are trained by Cat Vaduva (in reality Caitlin Jones) and the most experienced Caitlin clone, Caitlin Diaz, to be invisible and unstoppable; in theory anyway. This will be Ghost Team One’s first assignment as a unit. It will begin on Monday, March 14, 2050.

Timeline from End of Fall of the Cotton Kingdoms Campaign

2047

August 12: An EU fleet consisting of the EUS Lisbon (a cruiser) and the EUS Molke (a Commonwealth built EU frigate) escorting 3 transports heads to the Asteroid Belt in answer to Russia dispatching their warship Gararin there.

September 27: The Hiru, a space carrier, is launched by Japan and joins the JAB new military arm. The EU issues a strong protest and bans EU vessels from resupplying any JAB facilities in space.

November 19: Governor Royce Gardner of Georgia resigns in disgrace over spending government funds to finance his escapades in a New Orleans whore house last Mardi Gras with the late Governor John Lowndes of Alabama. A constitutional convention is called in Georgia to reform the state government.

2048

January 23: The EUS Orleans (a cruiser) heads back to earth form Mercury leaving only a small armed transport in orbit.

May 1: Project Longreach, the secret joint Martian and American expedition, arrives at Alpha Centauri and begins construction of the end point of the powered wormhole gate in Jupiter orbit.

July 4: Governor Carol Holmes of Mississippi announces she will not run for re-election. She signs an executive order allowing multiple candidates to stand for election.

August 1: EUS Gustavus Adolphus and two transports follow the EUS Lisbon’s fleet to the Belt.

September 10: The Chinese begin construction of the Celestial Dragon, sister ship to the Long March.

November 10: President Whindam is reelected for an unprecedented fifth term due to his handling of the Lowndes – Alabama Crisis. Opponents claim troubling irregularities with the vote. A government investigation finds no fraud and the results of the election stand. Intense Explosive Peaceful protests break out, but Whindam’s administration uses its control of the Senate and its police powers to stifle the dissent.

December 3: Japan commences construction on the Akaga, a new space carrier.

2049

January 8: The EU Deep Space Exploration Vessel, Vasco deGama, is launched and prepared for a mission to the Jovian System. A second larger Deep Space Exploration Vessel, Marco Polo, has its keel laid.

April 7: The first gate jump from the Sol System (Jupiter) to Alpha Centauri is completed. Exploration commences in secret.

July 10: The EU sends a Fleet to the Jovian System, consisting of EUS Charlemagne (carrier), EUS Roma (cruiser), EUS Aachen (cruiser), EUS Vasco DeGama and three small supply transports.

2050

January 16 & 25: The EUS Tirpitz and the EUS Graf Zeppelin are launched in Earth orbit.

February 7: After a couple of “pirate” raids on JAB facilities in the Belt, the Japanese Carrier Zuikaku sets out for there.

February 28: General Pershing retires as Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. He is appointed Ambassador to the Martian Republic.

March 11: The EUS Orleans reaches Earth.

March 14: Now – Prelude to War begins with Part 1: Mission to Prague.

Episode 1 – Welcome to Prague

Ghost Team One heads on its first mission to the City of Prague to find the ‘Felix’, whatever that is. All the Team knows is that Interpol wants it, so their (unknown) client wants it too. (That would be the Central Intelligence Agency.) They meet up with the Bast Corporation’s local operative and make contact with the Free Czech Army. That provides them with a solid lead and access to a local information network. Unfortunately this cell of the Free Czech Army supports their activities through organized crime, which disturbs a few on the Team. Still, the mission comes first.

Background

The Bast Corporation is a New Zealand security firm founded back in 2028 primarily to launder money to support the various Caitlin clones. Over the years the Collective has used it as a front in their operations and built the company into a small but successful operation in a number of Commonwealth countries and in the Martian Republic. After the events in the Burn Notice and the Fall of the Cotton Kingdoms Campaigns, Caitlin Prime (now calling herself Catherine Fisher Vaduva) decided to take over control of the company through her husband Kyle Vaduva. The Collective relinquished control but has lost little influence as Cat Vaduva is a loyal member of that organization.

In these past three years the company has branched out from providing personal security for executives and other small corporations to small mercenary paramilitary operations and a global intelligence work. Kyle and Cat make sure the company doesn’t take jobs that are morally repugnant to them. They insist on being ‘the good guys’ as much as that is possible in the world of 2050. They have set up a training program to prepare teams of operatives that have the skills to work as a group that can become anyone and operate in all the major hot spots around the world. These are called the ‘Ghost Teams‘.

One of their clients is Nathan Forrest, now Associate Deputy Director for the Central Intelligence Agency (and family friend). The mission to Prague is the first field operation for this client by the new ‘Ghost Team 1’.

Dramatis Personae

Player Characters

Ghost Team One:

Addison King: He is a 5th generation Nietzchean biogen and the first ever born naturally to Nietzchean parents. This has given him the nickname of ‘the Prince’. Addison is a graduate of the Sandhurst Military Academy and is a reserve officer in the New Zealand Royal Marines Special Boat Service. He is an admirer of Maori culture.

Allison Cole (aka Vlada Roslykova): Grew up in the Burn Notice Campaign and remained with her best friend from school, Catherine ‘Cat’ (Fisher) Vaduva. She is a high level prowler and martial artist with extensive covert operations training.

Brandon Heath: A solo who serves on Frank Beiderbecke’s security staff. Brandon is an experimental Biomechanical (cyborg) with one of Doc Freeman’s ‘cyberbrains’. Brandon was originally Grave, a cyborg from the Fourth Corporate War, who was later (2026) convicted of authorizing the murder of a young hacker and his family. Grave was supposedly executed but the government put him in their Project Kill Switch Program (see Super Solo 2 Campaign for details). He recently served as head of security for the Petersen Point Resort.

Duke Strider (aka Luke Walker): He is an experimental dog/human biogenetic hybrid made by the Collective on commission by the Bast Corporation. The Caitlins, who own Bast Corporation plan to create males members of their race’ but decided to make another species of hybrid first to test the science. His cover ID is from Texas

Owen ‘Crank’ McGregor: A young, muscle bound former United States Deputy Marshal turned free-lance operative. Owen is the eldest son of Lars McGregor, a ‘law enforcement’ official in the Union City (NJ) and major domo for a member of the Consortium. Owen has steered clear of his father’s shady connections. He was with Brandon at the Petersen Point Resort. His cover was Crank, the Food and Beverage manager there.

The Faux Client:

Frank Beiderbecke: The man is a 43 year old former globetrotting salvage engineer that is making the move to become more of a roving independent Fixer. The Bast Corporation has recruited him to front the current mission for them. Besides the generous paycheck he will be making invaluable contacts through this assignment. Frank is from Pennsylvania and is an old time ‘good old boy’. He doesn’t smoke or drink as the first is bad for his health and he has learned though bitter experience that his personality changes when drinks and not for the better.

Bast Corp’s Resident Agent in Prague:

Natalie ‘Natty’ Lanikova: ‘Grew up’ at the Petersen Point Resort when Brandon and Owen were there. A covert operative who most believe is the daughter of the late Lt. Alina Lanikova formerly of the Czech Special Forces (601st SOG). She is actually one of the prototype (former) Biotechnica ‘Caitlin’ clones trained to operate in the Czech Republic.

The NPCs

Boris is a member of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague. He is a huge brute and former member of Spetznaz.

Commander Quinn is the operational handler of Ghost Team One and Directory of Operations for Europe, Africa and the Mid-east for the Bast Corporation. He is an experienced operative with extensive an extensive military and covert ops background. He has the hard edge of a Michael Ironside character and the loyalty to his people of Admiral Reigart from Behind Enemy Lines.

Ivan is a student in Prague and a friend of Natty Lanikova. He is connected with Kyril’s Free Czech Army cell.

Kirrin is another high level member of the Free Czech Army. He controls a great many properties in Prague.

Korlea runs a number of clubs in Prague and is in charge of a human trafficking ring. He is also second in command of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Kyril is the commander of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

The Action

Monday, March 14, 2050:

Commander Quinn apprises each one of these first members of Ghost Team One. Addison King (aka the Prince) is the first naturally born Nietzschean, a graduate of Sandhurst and a Captain in the reserves of New Zealand’s Royal Marines Special Boat Service. Duke Strider is an experimental male human/dog hybrid created by the Collective at the behest of the Caitlins. Brandon Health is a biomechanical cyborg, longtime employee of Bast Corporation and friend of Caitlin Prime. The humans are Allison Cole, a beautiful young woman in her twenties who has spent years being trained as an operative by Kyle and Cat Vaduva, and Owen (Crank) McGregor, a former US Marshal son of well know political enforcer, Lars McGregor.

The Bast Corporation, a twenty two year old New Zealand security firm, has been commissioned to go to the Czech Republic and find something or someone named ‘Felix’. The Team’s cover will be looking for properties in that country for salvage and renovation. They have hired a former salvage expert turned fixer named Frank Beiderbecke to serve as a front man for the team. Beiderbecke is an extremely casual laid back individual. However, his credentials are impeccable for the job at hand and should not arouse suspicion. Duke Strider will act as his chief assistant and use a new identity and face as Luke Walker, a Texan. Allison Cole will be his secretary/assistant under the identity of one Vlada Roslykova. Addison, Brandon and Owen will serve under their own identities as his security contingent from the Bast Corporation. In Prague they will meet the corporation’s resident agent who is serving as a deep cover operative. She is known to a few members of the Team. Her name is Natalie Lanikova. She will act as the Team’s translator and guide. Natty has been briefed and is doing preliminary investigations for the mission.

Commander Quinn explains that they don’t know who or what ‘Felix’ is, but they are not the only ones looking. While there is no set time frame, if they haven’t succeeded in four weeks, they probably will have failed. The corp has managed to acquire a Secure weapons Permit for Addison, Just Needs Permits for Brandon and Owen and standard Carry Permits for everyone else. They will arrive in Prague tomorrow.

***

Tuesday, March 15, 2050:

The Team touches down around noon at the Prague Václav Havel Airport. Everyone is ‘dressed for success except Frank Beiderbecke who arrives in work pants, work boots and s flannel shirt. Addison’s 14mm Big Governments cause some delay in customs, but all the papers are in order. Waiting just outside the passport control is Natty Lanikova with a small sign with Beiderbecke’s name on it. Those who met the girl three years ago can’t help but notice the change. The gawky teenager has grown into a beautiful, poised young woman. She greets them all, and leads them a waiting limo which takes them to their hotel just south of the Charles Bridge on the east bank of the Vltava River. As they ride Natty notices a car following them.

At the hotel most go inside as Natty deals with the valet. Crank stays with her. He has noticed the girl’s coolness towards him. He assumes that she is now aware that he was an undercover Deputy US Marshal when they first met. As the two talk two men walk up and flash their credentials. They are Interpol agents, who ask for their identity papers. They also request to see Frank Beiderbecke. Natty takes them inside to the lounge where Frank is enjoying a cup of coffee with Allison, Duke and Brandon. Crank goes up to the two adjoining suites with Addison and does a security sweep of the rooms.

The agents (a Frenchman and a German) speak excellent English and ask about the large weapons the Team has brought. The long simmering civil war in the country provides a plausible explanation and the two men leave apparently satisfied. Upstairs the Team has two connecting suites. The large four bedroom suite is taken up by Frank (in the master bedroom with private bath), Crank, Brandon and Allison. The smaller three bedroom suite houses Natty (who scarfs up the master bedroom with bath much to the displeasure of Addison), Duke and Addison. Natty tells the Team that her research has identified a club that members of the Free Czech Army hang out in. She has passed this intel on to Commander Quinn and that is their target tonight. For the rest of the afternoon she has arranged a tour of the Old Town. Crank suggests that they buy some local clothing which everyone agrees to. They pick up some new clothes on their tourist trek through the Old Town.

That evening the Team heads to a seedier section of Prague and down into a basement over which hung a sign stating: Klub Retro. The dim light illuminates a large room with booths set into the walls around half the space. There is a sturdy looking bar on one wall and tables taking up half the open space in the middle of the floor. A small stage is in one corner with a dance floor cleared in front of it. What catches everyone’s attention is a low elevated platform in the back where a group of serious men dressed in black sits with a few beautiful club girls. Guarding the area are a half dozen grim faced bodyguards watching the crowd. Natty informs the Team that this is the posse of the man they need to contact, Kyril, a reputed Czech/Russian mobster with connections to the Free Czech Army. A cold approach is out of the question.

The Team takes up a large booth, orders drinks and a couple of them hit the dance floor. Crank and Brandon realize their entrance here has been noted by the gang’s security, but there is no reaction. As they ponder on what to do next, Natty recognizes one of the target group’s ‘hangers on’. He is a young man named Ivan and a casual friend from the college she is attending. Natty walks up to the platform where one of the gorillas in a dark suit steps in front of her. She looks him in the eye and says, “Ivan.”

Another of the burly guards walks up to that young man who bursts into a smile and waves her over. Ivan and Natty chat, but she notices that a handsome, blonde guy sitting next to Kyril is eyeing her appreciatively. She shoots him a smile. Soon Ivan is sent on an ‘errand’ and the blonde hunk is waving her over to him. From Ivan she has learned that this is Korlea, brother of Kyril and second in command of this group. Korlea also reputedly runs a major white slavery ring in the city. Between the rounds of vodka and the blonde gangster’s groping her thigh, Natty gets the Team invited over to talk business with the crew here. Frank lays out his cover story about coming to check out some buildings and industrial sites for rehab. It seems Kirrin, who turns out to be third in command of this group, controls a lot of real estate in the city. He and Frank start to talk, but suddenly Kirrin tells him they will finish this conversation later. Commander Quinn has also done his work and they are expecting the Team to contact them.

Everything starts off well until someone says the word, ‘big’. Luke (Duke), who has studied his cover ID well, decides to try out the phrase, “Well, everything’s bigger in Texas.”

“Is that so?” states Kyril. He then turns his head and shouts, “Send out Boris!”

From a heavy steel door in the back of the platform a mountain of a man emerges. Kyrll tells Boris what Luke said and the giant’s eyes narrow as he starts to close the distance between the two. Crank steps forward and defuses the situation. Kyril watches the scene. He is testing the group. Apparently they pass and the Team sits and drinks with the gang. Allison gets a lot of attention from another of the lieutenants. Soon the Team in invited back behind that steel door for a meeting.

They are brought to a large storeroom where crates of weapons are stacked. The mood gets chilly again, but the Team decides to be forthright and lays out their desire to find whatever the ‘Felix’ is. Yes, they can help, no they don’t know what it is. However, they will be meeting a contact on Thursday night who should be able to help. They agree to take the Team to the meet. Frank will check out other properties on his list for the next two days and then meet back with Kirrin. That will be the cover for the groups to meet again. The Team then heads back to the hotel.

“These are just a bunch of gangsters,” Crank declares on their return trip.

“I guess you have to support the revolution somehow,” suggests Brandon.

“I hate slavers,” Addison chimes in. “We should kill Korlea when we’re done.”

“No,” Natty declares. She has taken an obvious liking to the handsome blonde rebel/gangster.

“Nobody’s killing anyone,” Frank says, “At least for now.”

Back at the hotel they sweep the rooms again for bugs. Owen fills glasses from the bathroom half full of marbles and places one at each door on the hard tile floor. These will serve as a low tech alarm. Natty fires up the four seat Jacuzzi in her master bath, orders champagne, strawberries and melted chocolate from room service. She puts it on the company tab. When it arrives the girl answers the door completely nude. Her teammates watch as she heads back to the Jacuzzi. At the door she turns and asks. “Anyone want to join me?”

Both Addison and Brandon are out of their clothes and into the tub. There is a lot of drinking and splashing about but little else. The others head to bed except for Crank. He props the door between the suites open and sleeps on the couch.

***

Wednesday, March 16, 2050:

The Team sleeps in late. Around 9 am there is a knock on the door of the three room suite. Owen hears it from the couch in the other suite. He comes and looks through the peep hole. He sees a large bouquet of flowers. After removing his ‘marbles in the glass alarm’ by that door, he opens it. It is two dozen long stem roses and a note addressed to Natty. He is fairly sure they are from Korlea and the ex-cop briefly considers throwing away the card.

By 10 am everyone else is getting up. Frank Beiderbecke is on the phone making a couple of appointments to view properties over the next three days that have nothing to do with the resistance group they have made contact with. Their cover must be maintained. Natty is overjoyed by the roses and reads the note. It is from Korlea. He is asking her out to lunch at a one of the better restaurants in Prague today at 1:30pm. She calls the number on the card and yes, it’s Korlea’s. Natty accepts his invitation then heads out to a local fashion boutique and buys some appropriate clothes. The rest get ready to tour some local properties.

Episode 2 – Shootout on the Dance Floor

Frank spends the day and evening checking out properties with Addison and Owen as part of their cover. The rest get ready for an evening of drinking and dancing with their new contacts. Natty goes to lunch with Korlea and learns more about the white/slaver revolutionary before meeting Vlada for an afternoon of pampering at a high end spa. There both compare notes and realize that they are being followed.

A fun evening for Brandon, Luke, Natty and Vlada at the dance club ends in an assassination attempt and gun fight against unknown attackers. Korlea returns to the hotel where he beds Natty and the two keep the Team up most of the night with their loud love play.

Background

In these past three years the company has branched out from providing personal security for executives and other small corporations to small mercenary paramilitary operations and global intelligence work. Kyle and Cat make sure the company doesn’t take jobs that are morally repugnant to them. They insist on being ‘the good guys’ as much as that is possible in the world of 2050. They have set up a training program to prepare teams of operatives that have the skills to operate as a group that can become anyone and operate in all the major hot spots around the world. These are called the ‘Ghost Teams’.

Dramatis Personae

The NPCs

Boris is a member of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague. He is a huge brute and former member of Spetznaz.

General Skroup is the leader of the pro-EU government of the Czech Republic. After influencing the Czech parliament to authorize a brief and unsuccessful war with Poland in 2018, the resulting internal disorder gave him his chance for supreme power. His military coup in the early 2020’s forced the civilian government to flee to their former ‘enemy’, Poland. A simmering civil war has brewed for almost thirty years between Skroup’s forces back by the EU and the (so-called) Free Czech Army of the rump parliament sitting in Poland. The war is now a series of guerilla (or terrorist) actions (depending on your point of view) that target EU businesses and citizens (especially German ones). The Free Czech Army avoids targeting Czech citizens so the common policeman doesn’t work too hard against the rebels. Skroup, now in his late seventies, is losing his grip and fearful of being replaced by his EU masters.

Kirrin is another high level member of the Free Czech Army. He controls a great many properties in Prague.

Korlea Sochor runs a number of clubs in Prague and is in charge of a human trafficking ring. He is also second in command of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Kyril Sochor is the commander of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

The Action

Wednesday, March 16, 2050:

Natty goes out to have lunch with Korlea. The man is obviously interested in her and the young woman decides to use this to her advantage. A smile and letting his hand stroke her thigh gets him to talk about himself. This man and Kyril are brothers. Their mother was Russian but their father, Kvetoslav Sochor, was a Czech, who was killed by General Skroup’s forces in a reprisal raid early in the civil war. Her mother took her two boys back to Russia after that. The two ended up in the military and finally in Spetznaz, the Russian special forces, where he spent ten years in service. For reasons that he doesn’t get into, both he and his brother were dishonorably discharged. They returned to the Czech Republic with some of their friends from Russia (Boris among them) and joined the Free Czech Army. Over the years they both have risen in rank and now command a major cell in the capital of Prague. The girl feels that there is much more going on here. She wasn’t the only person on the team that noticed all the stored weapons at the club were of Russian manufacture. Natty has time to get at the rest of the story.

Of course she does talk about herself; her cover story anyway. Fortunately she has lived most of it. The two both have an ingrained distrust of authority. Natty’s tale of her mother’s death along with both Steve and Paris ring true because it is. Towards the end of the meal, she notices that a pair of gentleman at a back table has been taking more than a casual interest in them. She surreptitiously points them out to Korlea, who doesn’t know them. This man isn’t worried as his bodyguards are amongst the diners. When lunch is over Natty declines a lift. Korlea tells her he will pick her and her friends up tonight at their hotel.

As the Czech girl heads away from the restaurant, she notices that one of the gentleman diners is following her at a discrete distance. This is a part of the city that the biogen knows well. It is a simple matter for her to lose him. She makes her appointment at one of the local Bodycure shop and meets up with Vlada for a little pampering in anticipation of tonight’s partying. Vlada too thinks that someone had tried to follow her from the hotel, but she had also lost her tail on the way over. They both leave with a sparkling new appearance (ATTR 12). It won’t last, of course, beauty is really only transitory.

Vlada heads back to the hotel and Natty goes to her own apartment to pick up a few things. Outside of her student apartment the Czech girl spies the man who followed her from the restaurant pretending to be interested in the merchandise in a shop window. She has been reacquired. This calls for a change of plans. Natty packs a bag with a few changes of clothes and takes anything of importance with her. This apartment has nothing incriminating in it as it is part of her cover as a nursing student. It has probably been searched and perhaps bugged. She leaves and heads to the tram running north. Again her tail is following, but this time she makes no attempt to lose him as she returns to the hotel where the Team is staying.

There Natty performs a security sweep of her belongings and finds no bugs or trackers. Frank, Owen and Addison are still out performing some building inspections to preserve their cover, and have called in that they will not be back till later this evening. Only Brandon, Luke and Vlada are there. They are getting ready to go out with their new contacts to one of the ‘gang’s’ upscale dance clubs. Vlada and Natty put on their Royo Body Masks and dress to nines. As the two come out of the bathroom Brandon asks, “You both have pistols right?”

The girls consider that a silly question since there is hardly enough cloth on their outfits to conceal even a pocket sized handgun. Vlada tells him, “If I need a gun, I’ll pick one up at any gunfight we get in to.”

Natty hikes up her dress and displays her switchblade held on her thigh by a garter.

Brandon shakes his head. Great, he thinks, Little Miss Overconfident and one who brings a knife to a possible gunfight.

A little before seven pm a half dozen very large men in suits appear in the hall. When they are satisfied nothing is amiss, one calls into a radio and Korlea escorted by two more bodyguards appear. The four remaining Team members leave with this entourage. Down in the lobby most spot one of the Interpol agents they met on arrival yesterday pretending to read a newspaper. Vlada also sees the man who attempted to follow her earlier today talking on his cell phone. Outside a line of black SUVs with tinted windows waits for them. They all pile in and are off. Natty is sitting next to Korlea and notices they are heading towards a less patrolled zone of the city. While it is not a combat zone per se, the police don’t come here unless they come in mass with heavy firepower. This area is known to be controlled by various criminal gangs. She keeps this bit of information to herself.

The convoy pulls up to a club called the ‘Elektricke Rytmus’. Inside is a large dance floor with bars against both the left and right walls. Above each bar is a balcony with its own bar with a raised stage at the fourth wall. One of the balconies is larger and filled with revelers the other is smaller and has ‘bouncers’ restricting admittance to the public. It is to there that the party heads. The band is pumping out an Industrial/Techno beat as dancers writhe under primarily UV black lighting with pulsing colored florescent tube lights. Kyril and Kirrin are waiting up on the balcony. Korlea takes a seat near his brother and offers his lap for Natty to sit on. Vlada is waved over by Kyril and she sits next to him. Boris turns and smiles when he sees Brandon and orders vodka for the biomechanical cyborg. He sends a triple shot over for Luke with the words, “A big one for the man from Texas where everything is bigger!”

Luke accepts gracefully and sips his drink. He keeps his eyes open for trouble. On this balcony trouble is on no one’s mind tonight. It is a time for fun and dancing. The Team drinks politely but keeps their heads about themselves. Kyril has a number of visitors who ‘need’ to speak with him so Vlada talks to various Free Czech Army people up there. Eventually the urge to dance overwhelms Natty and she and Korlea hit the dance floor. Boris comes and asks Vlada for a dance. Luke also heads down to the main floor and picks up a dance partner. By the second song Kyril and his female bodyguard also join the dancers. Brandon moves closer to the edge of the balcony to keep an eye on the girls and Luke.

At about the third song, Luke spies one of the men who have been staking out the hotel lobby. He isn’t one of the Interpol agents. This man is talking to two others. The three split up and move towards their balcony’s stairs and the dance floor. He gives a trouble signal to Brandon. At this moment Natty sees a waiter crossing the dance floor with a drink tray. She recognizes him as the man who followed her today. The biogen slips her switchblade from the band around her thigh and whispers to her dance partner, “Trouble coming our way.”

Korlea spots two men moving towards him from the other direction.

It is then Natty sees that under the tray this waiter has a semi-automatic pistol. She spins as part of her dance move and sends her blade into the waiter’s head as she drops to her knees and slides across towards her attacker. Korlea yanks out his pistol and shoots dead one of the advancing two who are also pulling weapons. From the balcony shots ring out as Brandon drops the second attacker before he can fire. At that point all hell breaks loose as eight more attackers draw weapons and begins firing at Kyril and Korlea’s people. Kyril and his bodyguard dive under a table and come up a few seconds later guns blazing. Natty retrieves her blade and grabs the dead waiter’s pistol. One of the attackers turns his sawed off shotgun on Boris and Vlada. The big Russian steps in the way to take the blast. The ex-spetnaz operative rocks back on his heels from the blast, but his armor clothes, skinweave and subdermal armor take the blast. Boris disarms the would-be killer of his weapon and then rips the man’s flesh arms out of their sockets. Vlada joins the panicking crowd. This is all a ruse as another one of the attackers gets into her close combat range. She kicks him with a martial arts strike. He is hurt but now turns his weapon on her. Before he can fire his head explodes as Natty cuts him down with her newly acquired handgun. Meanwhile Luke pulls his Glock 17 and puts two 9mm rounds into one of the attackers. These men are heavily cybered with armored suits. His fire is ineffectual.

By now Brandon has stepped up to the very edge of the balcony with his two Nikita .454 and coolly rains death from above. The bodies of the attackers, some of Kyril’s men and innocent revelers hit the floor. Most everyone is in a blind panic heading for the exits. Vlada scoops up her now deceased attacker’s handgun and moves towards Korlea and Natty who are making their stand on the dance floor. Luke also picks up one of the dead attackers’ weapon. It is a 12mm and proves more effective. The shooting lasts maybe fifteen to twenty seconds. When it is over Brandon is standing at the edge of the balcony looking over a scene of fallen bodies. Luke is by an overturned table as are Kyril and his female companion. Boris is looking at his ruined suit in disgust. Korlea is on the center of the dance floor with both Natty and Vlada at his side covering every direction. All the attackers are dead or dying. The club is devoid of patrons.

The cleanup begins immediately. Kyril dismisses any concern that the police will come. He tells the Team, “They know better.”

A few of the attackers have not yet expired and they are taken for ‘questioning’. The Team notices that besides the one sawed off shotgun all of the attackers were wielding the same type of weapon; an H&K M625 (from Wisdom 000’s Ultimate Handguns, a must have for any Cyberpunk Campaign). Vlada keeps hers, Luke picks one up and Natty secures a second. Within ten minutes of the quick cleanup people are heading back into the club. The Czech Free Army (CFA) people are furious. Kyril and Boris go to supervise the ‘interrogations’. Korlea remains with the team.

Back at the hotel, Frank, Owen and Addison have returned from a tiring day and go to sleep early. They remain unaware of what has happened.

***

Thursday, March 17, 2050:

A little after 2 am they leave the ‘Elektricke Rytmus’. Korlea brings the group back to the hotel in a smaller convoy. Natty senses that Korlea will ask her to go with him so she preempts this by asking him up to the suite. Not in her dreams does she think he will risk his personal security by coming up. He surprises her by saying yes. In fact he dismisses his bodyguard and comes up alone. Frank, Owen and Addison are already asleep when they arrive. Korlea sees that Jacuzzi off Natty’s bedroom and in they both go. Everyone else tries to get some sleep, but soon champagne arrives. It doesn’t take Korlea long to seduce her (or she him depending on your point of view) and soon there is quite the racket as they screw in every common room of her suite. Natty, like most house cats, is very loud and vocal. Still, the Team doesn’t want to offend the contact they need so no one complains. Nobody gets much sleep that night.

Episode 3 – One Good Ambush Deserves Another!

The Team almost walks into an ambush while inspecting a building for their cover (and to meet a contact who can help them find the Felix). It is those pesky German mercenaries who attacked them at the dance club earlier. Revenge is theirs as their Czech Free Army contacts locate the merc’s HQ. The Team decides it’s time to pay their tormentor’s a visit. There they discover just how ruthless both their enemies and allies really are. They also get their first solid lead on the whereabouts of the ‘Felix’.

Background

In these past three years the company has branched out from providing personal security for executives and other small corporations to small mercenary paramilitary operations and global intelligence work. Kyle and Cat make sure the company doesn’t take jobs that are morally repugnant to them. They insist on being ‘the good guys’ as much as that is possible in the world of 2050. They have set up a training program to prepare teams of operatives that have the skills to operate as a group that can become anyone and operate in all the major hot spots around the world. These are called the ‘Ghost Teams’.

Dramatis Personae

The NPCs

Boris is a member of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague. He is a huge brute and former member of Spetznaz.

Imre Pauk is a midle-aged Czech national with information on the location of the ‘Felix’, but has been captured by German mercenaries in the pay of Germany’s GSG-9.

Ivo Pauk is the son of Imre Pauk and friend of the Sochor brothers. He will help the Team, but he has a price.

Kirrin is another high level member of the Free Czech Army. He controls a great many properties in Prague.

Klaus is a German mercenary in the pay of GSG-9.

Korlea Sochor runs a number of clubs in Prague and is in charge of a human trafficking ring. He is also second in command of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Kyril Sochor is the commander of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Lars Albrecht is the leader of the airborne operations sub-group of the GSG-9.

Ulrich Albrecht is the leader of a group of German mercenaries and brother of Lars Albrecht.

The Action

Thursday, March 17, 2050:

In the morning Frank Beiderbecke and Team view a couple of more sites in Prague. Addison remains at the hotel to guard against intrusions into their rooms. Natty spends the morning with Korlea. Owen and Duke use the NET to find a store that sells armored clothes. They go down and buy some for tonight. Natty continues to keep her phone shut off and spends an hour losing any possible tails after leaving Korlea. She visits her personal safe house and secures her cyberdeck. The girl also buys a pair of SP 10 pants and shirt along with some nano-cleaners, eight small ear bud radios with programmable channels, Luminol and a UV flashlight. She then returns to the hotel, sets the frequencies on the small communicators she just bought and starts to clean up any trace evidence.

After another security sweep Natty informs the Team what she has learned from Korlea. The club attackers from Wednesday night were German mercs in the employ of Lars Albrecht, a section leader of the Germany’s GSG-9. They are also seeking the ‘Felix’. This mercenary edgerunner group is still active and run by Ulrich Albrecht, the brother of Lars. Ulrich is a former member of GSG-9 but was dishonorably discharged.

Everyone readies for the meeting tonight, which is taking place just inside a combat zone in South Prague. Frank gets his ‘tool’ kit ready as he would for any other property examination. Owen gets a sling for his shotgun, folds up the stock and carries it under his long winter coat. Addison draws the short straw again and remains at the hotel to guard their rooms against intrusion. The rest of the Team heads out on a 2 and ½ hour game of hide and seek to lose any possible tails.

The Team arrives in the square at the end of the tram line just inside a combat zone. They are surprised by the number of people out and about at night here with no fear. They walk two blocks to the property where the meet is supposed to be. Only Owen and Natty notice a sniper perch covering two sides of the target building. They hope that is a Free Czech Army sniper. This target building is boarded up, but when they approach a man steps out of the shadows. “Are you here for the meet?” he asks in Czech.

“Yes,” Frank says. “We’re here to look at the building.”

The contact hurries the Team in. The first room is a huge two story grand entry hall. This structure was either a mansion or grand hotel back in its day. Frank is by nature a little suspicious so he asks if they can put up light tape so they can see this room. They do need to have their cover story running if the police stumble by. The contact says no, but he has some lighting gear they can set up in the next room. Everyone helps set the gear up quickly except Natty and Duke. They find two fresh sets of tracks in the dust of the crumbling structure. Natty follows the set heading up the grand staircase and through a double door. Duke follows the one that heads though the door under that stairway. The others get the light on quickly and then a good look at the crumbling building in all its faded former glory.

The contact then hurries the Team through the door under the grand staircase. They catch up with Duke and then notice that Natty is missing. This seems to disturb the contact who insists somebody go and get her. Duke heads back to the grand foyer and picks up Natty’s scent. He heads to the top of the stairs when he hears the sound of something ‘metal’ moving outside near the front door.

Meanwhile, Natty has followed the foot prints in the dust across the next room upstairs. She checks the room with her various visions and finds nothing. The young Czech woman looks into the next room where the tracks lead. Across this rather large room are a set of double doors with light shining out from under them. She slowly enters this second room and checks it out before going to the double doors. There is no way to see through the cracks. Natty sniffs for any scents and picks up a familiar one …. right behind here. It is Korlea. She spins around and catches him tip toeing up on her. She calls out his name and he recognizes her voice.

“You shouldn’t sneak around like that,” Korlea advises her. “I was just on my way to meet you outside.”

That’s OK,” Natty tells him. “We met the man you sent and the others are with him.”

“I didn’t send anyone to meet you,” the blonde rebel tells her.

Natty immediately speaks into her radio set to the Team, “The man you are with is a fraud, Korlea didn’t send him. He’s leading you into an ambush.”

Owen instantly grapples their guide and they secure him as a prisoner. He is carting an H&K 624 12mm handgun just like the team sent by the GSG 9. Duke informs every one of the sounds by the front door. Korlea has the group fall back deeper into the building and meet up. With the lookouts notified, the Free Czech Army spotters notice the German edgerunner team moving up in force. In the basement Korlea rallies his men. For now Korlea shows the Team an underwater exit from the building. He sends Boris to guide them through the underwater tunnel to the river. Korlea and his men will engage the Germans briefly before making their way out. All will meet up later at a safe house.

Only Frank doesn’t have the skills to negotiate the tunnel. Owen with his expanded lung capacity takes him down the tunnel to the river. It is a half a kilometer swim along the river bank than across the river under a bridge. Boris leads them out of the water a couple of hundred meters farther along the bank and then across a half a kilometer to a cottage with a large old barn. The sound of an explosion rumbles over the city. It is far away and the Team is too cold and wet to care. Boris brings everyone back into a stall and opens a hatch hidden under the straw. It leads down to a concrete bunker. Inside this safe house there are heaters, warm dry clothes and food. The Team sheds their wet clothes and starts to dry off all their equipment. Time will tell if their phones will dry out, but some of their caseless ammo looks questionable. Everyone hunkers down and waits for Korlea and the rest of his people. Allison gets a few offers to ‘help’ with her wet clothes. Natty comes to her aid and the two take over a smaller room in the bunker. Of course Natty’s taste swings both ways but Allison doesn’t know that.

***

Friday, March 18, 2050:

Early in the morning Korlea and several of his cell arrive at the safe house. He turns on the news. The big story in Prague was an explosion at an old building last night in southern Prague. The pictures on the vid screen are of the very building they inspected. Korlea smiles and says, “We drew all the mercenaries inside before slipping out and bringing the building down on them.”

Korlea also has another young man with him, Ivo Pauk, the contact. Ivo’s father, Imre, had helped hide Felix. Yes, this confirms their target is a man. Ivo doesn’t know Felix’s real name, but his does know that this man worked on one of General Skroup’s bio-chemical warfare projects before fleeing government service. Imre Pauk smuggled him out of the city and hid him. His father was getting ready to help the man escape the country, but Imre was captured by the band of German mercenaries that has been dogging the Team’s footsteps. Ivo knows the general area where Felix is in and will provide that information, if the team rescues his father. He adds that rescuing Imre will also allow them to know their target’s exact location.

Korlea informs the Team that they have located the safe house of the remainder of the German mercenary team.

“We really could use the plans of that house,” says Frank.

“We thought so to,” replies Korlea. “We couldn’t get the exact plans, but we do have a set for the house next door. The two houses are twins built in the 1930’s along the east bank of the Vltava River. The other house is now for sale and we found its interior plans on the NETsite of the real estate company.”

“We need to get a look at both houses,” comments Frank.

“I could arrange a walk-through of the second property for you this afternoon,” offers Kirrin.

“What is this?” asks Luke.

The plans show a steep bank and both houses are perched on the river’s edge. The first level is flush with the river and the main entrance on the other side of the building facing the street is on the second level. What Luke is pointing to is an arch on the river side of the houses.

“That is an interior dock for a boat,” Kirrin informs them.

“Then that could be our way in,” suggests Owen.

“In a hundred and twenty or so years there has probably been remodeling in both houses,” observes Frank.

“We’ll need a recon, then,” Natty suggests, “someone very stealthy.”

All eyes turn to Vlada.

“Are you nuscuba trained?” asks Korlea.

“Yes,” Vlada says with a sigh.

It is decided that Vlada will go with two of Kyril’s men and make an underwater approach to the safe house. The three will check out the feasibility of an underwater breaching of the taget dwelling. Meanwhile, the Free Czech Army will collect weapons and silencers for the team along with nuscuba gear. Kirrin will arrange for Frank to have a tour of the property next door. Kyril arrives and reports that he has men watching the hotel and Addison has been informed of the situation. In case of an attack on the hotel, the Free Czech Army has placed some nuscuba gear on the bottom of the river under the windows of their rooms. The FCA has prepared a safe house two blocks away that is reachable down a small canal. In case of a move on their hotel rooms, Addison now has a way to bolt out of there.

Vlada and her guides visually scan the German safe house. Yes, there have been some changes over the years. The entrance to the water dock has been bricked over! The three slip into the Vltava upstream and move carefully to examine these changes. They discover that the wall covering the dock’s entrance doesn’t go all the way to the bottom of the waterway. Vlada and the two CFA soldiers carefully slip under and find themselves in the basement dock room. It is dark and looks like no one has been here for years. There is a short stairway going up. They check for any electronic or physical sensors and finding none come out and check out the stairs. The old arch at the top of the stairs is covered in old plastic sheet with fiberglass insulation and studs holding up an interior wall. No sounds come from the other side. With the right tools, they could easily (and quietly) get through. Vlada and her escorts slip back into the water to return to the cellar of their barn safe house.

Frank takes the new information and puts it onto their floor plans. He believes that the stairs lead to is some kind of store room. A small drill and a snake camera would be able to check that room. Once through that wall, they should have access to the whole house. A plan is quickly formulated. Frank and Vlada will go and check out the house next door. Their inspection will provide a distraction. The mercs might recognize them so they will appear to be alone. Under no circumstances will they approach the target house. Kyril and Korlea will be across the street with two squads of men to cover them. Brandon, Luke, Natty and Owen will enter the building from the river and clear the building as they rescue Imre Pauk. Jump off time will be 16:00 hours.

The four member assault team moves under the water and breaches the old boat dock. They get out of the water and pull their gear from the waterproof bags that the FCA provided. The wall giving access to the interior of the house is as flimsy as reported. They quickly and silently make a hole and enter. Natty takes point with the two silenced H&K M625 pistols she took from the dead mercs at the nightclub (last episode). A short corridor leads to a kitchen. At the stove a man is cooking with his back turned. The biogen slides one weapon back into her holster and slips up quietly behind the busy mercenary. She puts one bullet in his head and catches the body before it falls. Something under his jacket gets her attention. She pulls out a 14mm Big Government from his shoulder holster and puts that under her belt. The others then come in.

In the next room the sound of a television is heard. Natty’s snake camera reveals a man on a coach watching a vid screen and another looking out the window. The sitting man’s field of vision covers the door to the kitchen. It is then that Frank and Vlada’s various distractions pay off. The two are on the side lawn of the house next door and Vlada starts screaming at Frank about his promise to divorce his ‘wife’ and marry her. Her histrionics are loud and sexually graphic. (Her acting roll is fantastic!) The merc at the window turns to his comrade and says, “Komm her, Klaus, sie haben, dies zu Horen!”

Klaus gets up and goes to the window for a look. The snickering Germans don’t hear Natty coming up behind them. Outside, Frank and Vlada hear the bullets hit the armor glass as blood and brains spray the inside of the window. Owen has been watching her back and is disturbed by what he sees. She could have incapacitated the men, but just killed them. When she turns around, her eyes are sparkling, she is focused, happy and on the hunt. The Team quickly checks the adjacent rooms. There is no one.

Natty leads the team up the stairs to the second floor. As they look up they can see the stairs wind up around a shaft that reaches the third and last floor. There is a large translucent skylight at the top of the shaft. The second floor has a large and wide hall with four doors off it. Three of the doors lead to rooms and the fourth to a bathroom. Natty slips her snake camera under the first door. She spies three armed mercenaries playing cards. The biogen is sure she can kill them, but maybe not before they speak into their ear piece radios. She quietly fixes the door so it will open with a push. One of the mercs clearly has heavy skinweave and some kind of subtle subdermal armor on his head. The Czech biogen puts away one of her 12mms and draws out the 14mm pistol from the first floor.

Natty signals the team to continue. The bathroom is empty, but the second bedroom is not. A man sleeps in the bed. Luke quietly sneaks up and puts a silenced shot in his brain pan. This is too much for Owen. He pulls Luke aside and says, “Look, I know Natty. Life has made her a stone cold killer, but we shouldn’t be shooting sleeping men in their beds. I won’t do that. Besides we could use some prisoners.”

Luke thinks. This biogen has come to respect Owen. “OK,” Luke says. “We’ll take the sleepers alive.”

The last bedroom also contains a sleeping mercenary. This one is knocked out with a sharp rap to the head, disarmed and tied up.

Brandon, Luke and Owen move up to the top floor. It has the similar layout as the previous one except there are only two bedrooms. Luke moves to the first bedroom, Owen moves to the second while Brandon waits a couple of steps down from the third floor landing.

Luke uses his thermographic vision to try to see through the door. Yes, there is someone there and he is coming out the door now! The dog biogen fires on his opponent with a silenced H&K 625. Brandon bounds up the stairs to support Luke.

Luke forces his door and enters with Brandon right behind him. Owen turns and rushes the last remaining room. Luke is greeted by another merc who fires two silenced 12mm rounds at him. Only the first shot hits, but the biogen’s armor turns most of the damage. Both Luke and Brandon put a total of 4 rounds into their opponent who drops behind the bed. The two swing around that piece of furniture. Their target is down expiring messily on the floor. Then they hear another sound.

Just before the shots up stairs, Natty sees the three playing cards flinch at what she perceives as something coming over their ear buds. She steps through the door and starts to fire. A single shot to the head of each one kills them all, however, while her H&K 625 is silenced the 14mm isn’t. The roar is unmistakable. With her targets down Natty turns and races upstairs.

At the sound of Natty’s 14mm shot downstairs Owen kicks the last door in. A man is there standing across the room. McGregor moves to engage him in hand to hand combat. As he closes, his opponent raises two shotgun pistols and shoots him four times. Crank’s armor serves him well, but still 9 points get through before he reaches his target. Owen swings for a martial arts knockout punch, but discovers the man is also a master; in fact it is Ulrich Albrecht, the leader of the mercenaries. Owen draws his blade. This man will not be taken easily.

Luke and Brandon hear the roar of a pair of shotgun pistols which no one of their team has. Now they run to Owen’s aid. As the two approach the room where the others battle, they don’t see the mercenary sniper sliding down a line from the skylight above and ready his silenced 14mm Big Government. Luckily for the two Team members, the German sniper has his back to the stairs as Natty comes up. She sees the mercenary level his pistol but kills him before he can make his shot.

Inside the last bedroom, Owen and his opponent pound on each other. Each is a formidable martial arts master and a match for the other. Finally the mercenary leader grapples and throws Owen. By now Luke and Brandon enter the room and see the man. They want a prisoner. Between the three of them they overpower the mercenary leader and secure him. McGregor is in serious condition, but that is not the worst. In the corner, tied to a chair is Imre Pauk. Half of the man’s teeth are lying in a bloody tray with a pair of pliers, a knife and a half a dozen of Imre’s digits. The Czech man’s face and chest have been carved on. He did not die quickly or painlessly. A laptop sits on the desk, but it is password locked.

With the house cleared, they call on the cell phone Kyril provided them with. The Czech Free Army operatives enter the house. They are amazed. They had heard only five shots and in this neighborhood that wouldn’t get the police to come here. Ivo collapses in tears when he sees his murdered father. Still, he will honor his agreement to tell all he knows about Felix’s whereabouts. Owen turns over both prisoners to Korlea.

Korlea sees who it is and smiles. He walks up to the trussed up German leader and says (in German), “Oh, Ulrich, my friend, we are going to have such a time, you and me. When I am finished you will tell me all your secrets.”

As to the other mercenary prisoner, Korlea calls Ivo over and hands him a gun. The young man ignores this German’s pleas and shoots the prisoner right in the face. Owen is horrified. The Team is given first rights to the gear of the German Team. Natty takes four 14mm Big Governments (two regular and two with recoil compensation). Some of the Czech rebels chuckle at this, but Korlea doesn’t. Brandon and Luke take the remaining two 14mm pistols. Owen is disgusted and takes nothing. Natty makes sure that none of Luke’s or Owen’s blood is left at the scene. The Czech Free Army cleans up the rest of the scene. Korlea takes the laptop and promises to put his best people on cracking the password locks. He tells them it should take no more than three days.

Kirrin informs the party through his police contacts he has learned that the Team is not suspected in the bombing from last night. ‘Witnesses’ have come forward to say they were seen leaving the area a half an hour before the explosion. A friendly innkeeper just outside of Prague will testify that the Team spent the night at his establishment and everyone was out sightseeing today. Owen needs medical attention and Kyril arranges for him to see a sympathetic doctor (ripperdoc) for treatment. The rest of the Team cleans up and gives their illegal weapons to the CFA who move them to the safe provided a couple of blocks from the hotel. Brandon, Frank, Luke, Natty and Vlada are taken to the ‘alibi’ hotel outside the city for a few pictures (in case anyone checks their story). They catch a cab back to their hotel in Prague. As they walk through the lobby, all but Vlada notices one of their Interpol watchers still sitting there with his ubiquitous newspaper. It has been a long two days. The Team sets up a mini-camera in the hall with a hardwired connection to the monitor. They arrange a watch rotation and go to sleep.

Episode 4 – Ambushed ….. Yet Again

Interpol’s surveillance increases and finally Frank is confronted by Agent Bruner. The American isn’t too concerned and brushes off Natty’s warnings. Another night of partying with the Free Czech Army ends with Korlea, Natty and Vlada in bed together. This is a new experience for Vlada (Allison). Another day of building inspections ends with a surprise visit by Germany’s GSG-9. They are out of their jurisdiction and ‘off the reservation’, but it matters little as they are heavily armed and out for revenge; bad news for the Team.

Background

The Bast Corporation is a New Zealand security firm founded back in 2028 primarily to launder money to support the various Caitlin clones. Over the years the Collective has used it as a front in their operations and built the company into a small but successful operation in a number of Commonwealth countries and in the Martian Republic. After the events in the Burn Notice and the Fall of the Cotton Kingdoms Campaigns, Caitlin Prime (now calling herself Catherine Fisher Vaduva) decided to take over control of the company through her husband Kyle Vaduva. The Collective relinquished control but has lost little influence as Cat Vaduva is a loyal member of that organization.

In these past three years the company has branched out from providing personal security for executives and other small corporations to small mercenary paramilitary operations and global intelligence work. Kyle and Cat make sure the company doesn’t take jobs that are morally repugnant to them. They insist on being ‘the good guys’ as much as that is possible in the world of 2050. They have set up a training program to prepare teams of operatives that have the skills to operate as a group that can become anyone and operate in all the major hot spots around the world. These are called the ‘Ghost Teams’.

Dramatis Personae

The NPCs

Adolph Bruner is a senior Interpol agent following the Team in Prague.

Boris is a member of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague. He is a huge brute and former member of Spetznaz.

Commander Quinn is the operational handler of Ghost Team One and Directory of Operations for Europe, Africa and the Mid-east for the Bast Corporation. He is an experienced operative with extensive an extensive military and covert ops background. He has the hard edge of a Michael Ironside character and the loyalty to his people of Admiral Reigart from Behind Enemy Lines.

Father Karel Nemec is a priest who acts as an historical guide for the Team.

Ivo Pauk is the son of the late Imre Pauk and friend of the Sochor brothers. He is helping the Team find Felix.

Kirrin Janocyk is another high level member of the Free Czech Army. He controls a great many properties in Prague.

Korlea Sochor runs a number of clubs in Prague and is in charge of a human trafficking ring. He is also second in command of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Kyril Sochor is the commander of a major cell of the Free Czech Army in Prague.

Lars Albrecht is the leader of the airborne operations sub-group of the GSG-9.

The Action

Saturday, March 19, 2050:

The Team does a silent security sweep of their hotel room. Natty uses her infrared vision and discovers that several of the windows now have laser microphones focused on them. That and the number of agents haunting the lobby suggest that the Team is now coming under closer scrutiny. Most of the people will remain in the hotel today, and only go out in a group for a party tonight with Kirren, Kyril and Korlea. Everyone is informed that there is nuscuba gear for each planted on the bottom of the river.

“Well, that’s not going to help me much,” Frank says. “I can’t swim and I don’t know nuscuba.”

“I could go out and get you some skill chips,” suggests Natty.

“No one should go out alone,” Addison reminds the group.

It is decided that Brandon, Frank, Natty and Vlada will go out and secure the chips. One of the three properties on the list to visit tomorrow is an old ruined church. Frank wants to go to the local Catholic diocese and try to get a priest to come with us. Two of the properties are close to Prague, but the church is out in the country. That could provide an opportunity for another ambush. Addison feels this is unlikely as the German mercenaries have been wiped out and the hiring process will take GSG-9 a few days at least.

After the meeting the four go out to secure the skill chips and some clothes for Natty and Vlada for the party tonight. About a block from the hotel, the group notices two Interpol agents trailing them at a discreet distance.

“Well,” Frank says. “At least we won’t be bothered by German mercenaries or GSG-9 with the Interpol agents watching us.”

Natty turns incredulously to Frank. “Interpol is just a group of criminal lapdogs of the EU. They would kill us in a heartbeat if it served their purpose.”

“Come on, Natty,” cajoles Brandon. “They are the police. It’s in their best interest to protect us.”

“That’s what they want you to think,” Natty shoots back. “You don’t live here. They are part of the German ‘Army of Occupation’. They care nothing for us. Interpol is only here to serve their EU masters and oppress the Czech people.”

“You’ve been hanging out with Korlea too long,” Vlada jests.

“No, I have seen and you can’t trust those EU pigs!” grumbles Natty.

Natty and Vlada get new dresses and Frank gets his chips. They stop at an outdoor café for lunch in the Old Town. The two Interpol tails sit across the street at another café. Partway through lunch Natty whispers that she has to go somewhere.

“I thought we agreed the Team would stay together,” Brandon states.

“And you should,” replies Natty, “but I’m the resident agent here. This is my city and those two won’t split up to follow me.”

At that Natty gets up and asks the waitress where the bathroom is. After 15 minutes and desert coming and going, it is clear she is not coming back. The two Interpol agents get up, come across the street, and identify themselves to the group.

Adolf Bruner, the taller of the two, asks, “There was a disturbance two days ago in South Prague that ended in an explosion. It was reported that your group was in the area. We would appreciate any information you could tell us about the incident.”

Frank smiles back and replies, “Yes, we heard the explosion. My people and I were inspecting a building for redevelopment in the area. Our group was many blocks away when it went off.”

“Of course, you must understand our interest. It was the very building you were ‘inspecting’ that was blown up.”

Brandon’s expression remains placid but Vlada’s smiling countenance fades.

“I’m shocked,” Frank says. “I guess we were lucky to leave when we did.”

“That’s quite a coincidence,” the other agent points out. “Why do you think that is?”

Brandon notes that this man held his finger over his name when he showed his identity card. His accent is also German.

“Now that you mention it, this explains some of the troubles we have been having for the past couple of days. Our personnel have been attacked on a few occasions. At first I thought it was just the general lawlessness of Prague, but now I think it might be attacks by my business competitors,” suggests Frank.

The faces of the two Interpol agents harden at this. Frank’s explanation is plausible, but clearly the two Germans aren’t buying it.

Agent Bruner holds up a photograph of Korlea Sochor. “How do you know this man?”

Beiderbecke looks at the photo. “He is a friend of Kirren Janocyk, one of the real estate agents I am dealing with.”

“You seem to see Mr. Sochor a lot for just a ‘friend’ of a real estate agent.”

“I think our guide is his girlfriend or something,” Frank replies.

“Yes, where is Ms. Lanikova, she seems to have abandoned you.”

Frank answers without a pause. “I gave her the afternoon off.”

“It’s odd that a nursing student would sign up as a guide and get such an important assignment leading a group such as yours. She has no experience,” Agent Bruner’s partner points out.

“I requested her,” Brandon offers. “I met her and her late mother four years ago when I ran security at a resort hotel in Florida. Natty is a good kid. We’ve kept in touch and I knew she needed money for her next semester at the Charles University.”

This line of questioning was getting the agents nowhere, so they decide to change tack. Bruner informs them, “We have had an information request from the German GSG-9 about your group.”

Not one of the three Team members shows a sign of worry. Frank tells the two agents, “I have no idea why, we don’t intend to be going to Germany on this trip.”

“Some German citizens were killed in that explosion in South Prague, and another group disappeared in a combat zone a day or two before,” Agent Bruner informs them. “Now another ten has disappeared from a house along the Vltava River. It was the same day that you and Ms. Roslykova viewed the property next door.”

“You aren’t suggesting that the two of us could be responsible for the disappearance of ten men,” Frank asks.

“No,” is the reply. “It’s just an observation.”

“Maybe the people who are dogging our inspections went after the wrong house after we left,” suggests Vlada.

The eyes of both Germans flare at this suggestion, but they quickly regain their composure.

“That could be one possibility,” Adolph Bruner says. “But I’m not sure GSG-9 will think so though.”

“Well, we clearly have a problem,” Frank tells the two agents. “I am glad Interpol is taking such an interest in our welfare. Why don’t I give you our itinerary for tomorrow, so when you follow us you’ll know where we are going and be able to protect us from any misunderstandings.”

Beiderbecke hands Agent Bruner the addresses of the three properties on tomorrow’s list. The two Interpol agents thank him through their gritting teeth. Frank and his companions continue their walk with the two agents following behind at a distance.

“Let’s go to local Catholic diocese headquarters.” suggests Frank.

There they get an interview with a church official. Frank explains they are looking at an old church tomorrow and a sizable donation gets them a priest who is an expert on the history of that area to accompany them. On the way back to the hotel Brandon asks, “What was that all about?”

“Well, someone might try to kill us, but they may not want to kill a local priest,” is the reply.

Brandon is not so sure. The three arrive back at the hotel.

Natty takes time and loses any possible tails that she might not have seen. Then she activates her disguise feature to look like her alternate identity, Karla Spacek. She goes to goes to the apartment she keeps as ‘Karla’ to pick up money and bug and radiation detectors. Her next stop is to the bolt hole she keeps to get a ‘clean’ phone. The Free Czech Army had provided them all with fresh phones, but she wants one that they don’t know about. After becoming Natty again she meets with Korlea.

The purloined mercenary laptop hasn’t been decrypted yet, but the Czech rebel leader says it’s only a matter of a short time. The two decide that tonight they and the group will go to a club in the heart of the Old City. It is a place where the police will respond. This should lessen the possibility of gunplay.

As Natty is about to return to the hotel when Korlea hugs her and whispers in her ear, “Stay with me tonight.”

This isn’t a good idea and she thinks no, but her voice says yes.

The Czech rebel commander has one more request. “Do you think Vlada would like to join us?”

Natty hesitates. She would be lying if she didn’t admit she wasn’t attracted to Vlada too. “I’ll ask her.”

In the evening the motorcade of black SUVs pulls up to the hotel. Addison again draws the short straw and remains behind to guard the rooms. Soon the column of vehicles with their Interpol tails head off into the Old Town. This time the revelers aren’t disturbed. The vodka flows and all dance like tomorrow may never come. Natty whispers her invitation in Vlada’s ear. Vlada (Allison) has never slept with a woman, but there is something about Natty she finds compelling. Also, Korlea is a handsome hulk and a man with power. Much to the displeasure of the rest of the Team the two girls go home with Korlea.

***

Sunday, March 20, 2050:

About mid-morning Korlea takes Natty and Vlada to pick up Owen from the doctor. Crank isn’t pleased to see the Czech freedom fighter with the two women, but he is grateful for the medical care. Korlea bids them adieu and invites them to his group’s estate tomorrow night. His netrunners are positive they will have the laptop cracked by then, so they can make plans from there. Ivo Pauk has given the Free Czech Army the name of the district in the north where he believes Felix is hiding. Korlea’s people are searching there along with Ivo. The three Team members return to the hotel alone. In the lobby their two Interpol shadows are there. Owen also picks up another group of six waiting there, but trying to be inconspicuous. The three return to their rooms.

It is time to head out and inspect the three properties in the list for today. Luke will stay behind and safeguard the integrity of their hotel suites. Frank has rented a large van to drive around to the various locations. Everyone goes downstairs to pile into the vehicle. There is a short delay bringing it around, but when it is ready so are Agent Bruner and his partner in a BMW. Natty is disturbed by the continued tail and suggests they try to lose them.

“They are our insurance policy,” explains Frank. “I gave them our itinerary yesterday. They were making cryptic remarks about GSG-9. This way if we’re attacked, we’ll have Interpol to back us up.”

Natty’s jaw drops. “Are you deaf? Did you not listen to what I said yesterday? Interpol is the enemy!”

“Stop being paranoid, Natty,” Owen says. “They’re cops.”

Still Natty insists they take round about routes to the buildings to be looked at. The first two inspections go quickly. Before the head out to the church they stop by the offices of the local Catholic diocese and pick up their church guide, Father Karel Nemec. They head into the country with their Interpol tail in tow. Natty keeps insisting on a roundabout route which gives Father Karel time to explain (endlessly) the history of the old ruined church.

“I biggest mystery surrounding this place is the lost catacombs,” continues the priest. “Their location was forgotten back the first time the church was destroyed by Protestant forces during the reign of Fredrick, the Winter King at the beginning of the Thirty Years War in 1619.”

“That’s fascinating, Father,” lies Frank.

“Yes, the crypts are supposed to wind their way down the hill the ruins are sited on,” Father Karel continues. “Six centuries of members of the noble families of this area along with a few of the early Bohemian Kings rest below. A lower level was discovered sixty years ago, but the ancient catacombs couldn’t be found.”

The priest continues to wax poetic about the clues that have been handed down about their location. Only Frank gives the man any of his attention.

What grabs Natty’s attention are two small aerial drones following the van. She quietly informs the Team. Finally, they reach the ruined church. It is little more than the remains of four walls with empty stone window frames open to the sky. Inside some of the old stones lie about what was the nave of the church. Natty has no interest in going in so she wanders about outside. Addison also remains outside and takes up watch at the rear of the structure. He makes sure everyone wears their ear bud. The priest takes them into the old basement and as Frank walks around he examines the walls down there. At one point he notices a spot that sounds hollow. He thinks it might be the entrance to the crypts but those old tales really don’t interest him. Soon they come up to the surface.

Addison is walking around out back when he hears a voice behind him quietly order, “Don’t move.”

Of course he spins around and is greeted by the sight of two men dressed in black armor with silenced automatic weapons. They spray him with rubber bullets. To the surprise of all three, this doesn’t drop the New Zealander, who bolts for the woods shouting into his mic, “We’re under attack!”

Brandon calls out, “Sit Rep!”

Natty turns on her Ice Blue System (kills you IR and Thermo signature after a turn or two) and heads into the trees and around towards the back of the ruined church. Inside the church, most of the Team gathers around a couple of fallen stones and pulls their weapons. Vlada heads for the front entrance. Soon ten men dressed in black armor with silenced automatic weapons come through what used to be the front door and deploy in a line shouting, “Drop your weapons!”

Vlada backs away and the team points their weapons at the intruders while shouting back, “No, you drop your weapons!”

Outside Addison turns on his endorphin/surge chip and moves deeper into the woods. He can hear more people coming after him on a broad front and reports that. Natty figures they are forming a half-moon formation on him and trying to trap him. She calculates where she hopes the end man in the line will pass by and hides. Sure enough she is right and a black clad trooper slides by. She takes him from behind with her mono switchblade and kills him silently. The Czech takes her victim’s radio, his assault rifle and a couple of grenades (scatter and flash-bang). The attackers are speaking German. She listens as the group after Addison moves in the formation she predicted. The biogen goes into hunt mode and begins working her way up the line of men, killing them quietly. Addison realizes they are tracking him by thermo so he also turns on his Ice Blue System. His heat signature fades and the Germans stop advancing. This only makes them sitting ducks for the predatory Natty.

Inside the church both groups continue to order each other to surrender. After a minute or so another group of ten black clad men come through what used to be the southern windows.

“Who are you?” Frank demands as he steps forward.

“We are GSG-9 and you are all under arrest!”

Frank pulls out his phone and calls the police, “Hello, this is Frank Beiderbecke, we are being kidnapped by German mercenaries.”

The American is playing for time. Their Interpol tails couldn’t be missing this. GSG-9 wouldn’t dare shoot a pair of the EU polices officers. He continues to report the attack to the police as one of the black clad GSG-9 troopers walks up to him.

“Yes, one of the kidnappers is here with me,” Frank says into the phone and then hands it to the German with the words, “It’s for you.”

The trooper takes the phone, hangs up, drops it on the ground and grinds it under the heel of his boot. The verbal jurisdictional dispute continues.

Addison finally advances towards his tormentors, but only finds Natty. The Czech girl has killed four GSG-9 troopers with her blade. The 5th generation Nietzchean takes a rifle (loaded with rubber bullets) and some grenades as the two head back towards the northern windows of the church.

A GSG-9 officer comes up to secure Vlada. The blade that she has palmed flashes as she stabs the German ineffectually. She is shot twice with rubber bullets. While it doesn’t bring her down, the girl decides to fall down anyway. It’s a safer place to be if real bullets start flying. Well, Owen sees her go down and puts two .454 rounds into her attacker. A couple of the Germans light him up with auto fire. Now, they are firing rubber bullets, but the damage is so great that much of it becomes ‘real’ and impact. Owen goes right down unconscious. At this point eight more black clad GSG-9 men come through the apse of the ruined church. Frank and Brandon back up towards the north wall. Father Karel remains hugging the ground behind a fallen stone.

By now Addison and Natty have reached the tree line on the north side. There are five more GSG-9 men waiting along that outside wall preparing to enter. The Czech girl climbs a tree and sees their two remaining team mates backing up. She jumps down and then she and Addison throw scatter grenades through the empty windows. Brandon and Frank are enveloped in smoke. They waste no time and jump out through those old window openings. The GSG-9 men by those windows spin around and spray rubber bullets wildly towards the tree line. The next set of scatter grenades land in front of those Germans. One of the GSG-9 men outside has Brandon land on him.

Inside the German commander shouts, “Rush them, don’t let them get away!”

Vlada hears the man standing over her run towards the smoke. In a flash she is on her feet and jumps through the window with a few rubber bullets nipping at her heels. The two biogens toss the last of their stolen scatter grenades to cover their companion’s dash across the open terrain. They follow this with a couple of flash-bangs hurled at where the wall would be. Brandon, Frank and Vlada hit the tree line and the five run deeper into the woods. Soon an aerial mini-drone is skirting the tree tops. It’s found them. Natty tells Brandon and Vlada to turn on their Ice Blue Systems. As they run by one of Natty’s victims the Czech biogen stops and peels the dead man’s uniform back. He has a spytech body stocking. The group quickly pops it off the dead man and stuffs Frank in it. Addison fires his recently acquired assault rifle at their small aerial stalker. The rubber bullets may not be particularly effective against armored GSG-9 agents, but they can drive the drones back. The Team moves deeper into the woods as the sounds of AVs approach the site of the church.

(GM Note: The AV’s have Lars Albrecht and his personal strike team aboard. He is furious that GSG-9 has captured only one prisoner who is in no shape to be questioned at the cost of four killed with their throats cut. Lars asks the operator in charge, “They have only one trained operative (Addison), how did a bunch of rent-a-cop security guards give you the slip?”)

Here the Team’s training pays off. They lose their pursuers. Natty gets on the phone that Korlea gave her and calls Luke. “Get out, we’re blown! Go to the safehouse!”

Luke grabs a little gear, anything incriminating and leaves before they come for him. The next call she makes is to Korlea. The man has problems of his own. GSG-9 and Interpol operatives have launched a series of raids across the city on their various businesses. Many of the employees, guests and members of his cell have been just shot down. Over 50 have been taken. The rebel leader gives her a name and location of a sympathetic farmer in the area. He tells her to have him bring the Team to the barn safe house south of Prague. Korlea will make sure that Luke gets there.

As the Team heads to the farm they get to a vantage point overlooking the road out from the ruined church. Soon, the car with two Interpol agents leaves with Father Karel. At least the priest is safe. By night fall the Team reaches the barn and heads down to the basement. For the moment they are safe. Natty goes up to the surface and uses her own ‘burn phone’ and calls the emergency number. Soon Commander Quinn is on the line. She reports the attack and the capture of Owen.

“What are you going to do?” Quinn asks.

“I’m going to get Owen back and finish the mission,” she tells him.

Quinn agrees and says he’ll start to arrange ex-fill. Natty the makes another call. It is to Cat Vaduva. She needs her passport to leave the country immediately and for one of her clone ‘sisters’ to become her and be seen publically out of the Czech Republic as soon as possible. Arrangements are made to have a Natty (one of her sisters) seek asylum in the New Zealand interests section of the Commonwealth Embassy in Bratislava, Slovakia tomorrow.

The biogen then heads back to the hidden basement. This has been a totally crappy day!

Next: Episode 5: Time to Rock & Roll!

Introduction: Prelude to War – 2050

Episode 1 – Welcome to Prague

Episode 2 – Shootout on the Dance Floor

Episode 3 – One Good Ambush Deserves Another!

Episode 4 – Ambushed ….. Yet Again

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