October 7th - 2005It didn't take long for me to get a response. Two days and I'd already been contacted by 4 mercenarys. The first called herself Silver, if it was after her pale hair or a joke on her family name I wasn't sure of. But she was a doctor for hire, and wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty. I couldn't help but question how someone skilled so much in the art of healing was so comfortable handing a gun, but a doctor that can keep herself protected and provide additional support is far beyond valuble.
The next two arrived at the same time, One named himself as Max Greene, his friend on the other hand called him Zero. I found they used to operate as a sniper and spotter team, Zero would scout and spot, and the other one named Traveler would take the shot. We already had a former sniper in Deadeye, but what Deadeye lacked in more general skills Traveler had. So there was no way I could pass up the pair.
The fourth arrived late, and by letter. A man named Don Torino had emailed me. He talked at length about his skills in getting in and out of somewhere unnoticed, but there was something wrong with his manner of speaking. He seemed on edge. My team had already been filled out, but I sent the man a message saying if he's needed Ill contact him and make arrangements. He seems like a problem case, maybe not to the extent of that Nutcase Fidel was back on Metavira, but he seems a risk.
Tomorrow Ill be meeting with my team at the Ruzyně International Airport. I've made arrangements for some equipment I smuggled out of Metavira to be supplied for us to take into Arluco. Sanitized of course. Last thing I want happening is these weapons being traced back to Jack. Poor bastard has been through enough.
October 8th - 2005 - Late night.To my surprise everyone showed up. Lots of mercs talk big, but without AIM to put them to a contract sometimes they chicken out. I got some actual mercs luckily enough.
I directed them to the things I had brought in. Old MP5 submachine guns and ammo. I managed to get just enough. Though not all in the same chambering. Three of them were the MP5A4 Variant, simple, no nonsense. Good weapon for a landing. Thankfully. The other three were the version Jack had phased out for his guardsmen, MP5A3s rechambered to 10mm. Hopefully to allow Jacks guards to blow through the abnormally thick Metavira shrubbery. In practice, his mostly uneducated guardsmen were not able to control the damn things, especially as they often considered the stock a nusance and left it folded. I specifically remember fighting along side a guardsman as he slipped while firing the weapon at one of santiagos goons and turning poor Elios face into a pink mist. We shouldn't have those problems ourselves.
The rest of the gear was simple things, some load bearing gear, combat packs for the entire team, a larger packpack each for Shadowdump and Zero, and around Five hundred rounds for our MP5s. Half in 10mm and half in 9mm. And a few kits to patch ourselves up. Nothing fancy, just bandages and morphine auto injectors. The others brought other odds and ends, lockpicks, sniper scopes scavenged from old rifles of theirs, toolboxes, a little strangely Silver brought herself a bunch of medical supply's and a large pouch for ammo. Again I was concerned about her but she seemed like a valuable team member. Even more shockingly Shadowdump dragged along an old m79 grenade launcher and a small assortment of 40mm grenades. I knew he loved the thing, but I didn't think he'd taken it out of Metavira. I myself brought my extended ear system, situational awareness is key on the battlefield, and any bit of extra a squadleader can get herself helps.
Afterwards we passed along some more odds and ends I aquired. Bipods, pistol caliber suppressors, a few foregrips, we put these where they appeared capable of the most good. Just a few short moments and we were boarding our flight. Within half a day we'd be in Arulco.
October 9th - 2005 - Mid dayAs the helicopter crested the hills, coming in low and hot so to alert the Arulcan military as little as possible. Omerta came into view, turns out my guess was right. The military had hit the city, and hard. Our pilot found a spot with reasonable cover and dove in, we got ourselves over the side and onto the field as quickly as we could manage.
The town seemed quiet, but everything was fresh still. You could still smell the gunpowder and blood in the air. The grease of neglected tank treads, a patrol was likely here sweeping for survivors. Enrico did inform me that Omerta was a rebel town, and that here I should look for them. Before I could contemplate for long if we were too late Traveler shouted out a contact.
Traveler and Deadeye immediately laid down supressing fire, the trooper shrunk away from the fire and ducked his head down. No one could blame the poor bastard. He'd brought a pistol rather than a more suitable weapon.
We surrounded the building as he dashed into it, a quick doubletap to the head of the poor sap made sure he wouldn't have time to regret his lack of proper equipment.
Before we could gain much of a position, another man appeared in a window across from the house. Zero backed off as the man had the drop on him, he had just moved into position and didn't have time to line up a shot.
Shortly afterwards a loud crack showed to me I was less thourough in my equipment checks.
Shadowdump had tossed a grenade at the man, in his haste he missed the window. Ill need to examine that nutcases equipment more carefully and ensure he doesn't waste more ordinance this way in the future.
While our position was fairly secure, another man appeared and let off a poorly aimed shot over his friends head. If this is the sort of discipline we can expect to see then this is gonna be a much simpler job than I thought it would be.
Zero popped back out and took the shot, the next sounds from the building across from us being a wet thud and a low gurgle. The familiar sound of a bullet planting itself in a mans lung, the undisciplined and now dying soldier slumped over like a sack of manure kicked off the back of a truck.
We forced our way forward, pelting the house with ammo. The trooper in there practically voided himself and hid. Zero ran around the back to catch him unaware while we suppressed him. Zero did catch up to him and sent a few rounds into his vitals, easy job once again.
Zero spotted what I guessed was the final patrolman, he didn't get a good look at his weapon, but it wasn't a pistol that was sure.
Me and zero kept his head down, Traveler snuck in from the side to catch him unaware. All whent according to plan and when he wasn't looking, traveler introduced him to the butt of his MP5. Five times.
That seemed to be it, though we thought we could hear more far off to the west. We'd need to be quick before another patrol arrived. A quick search of the area revealed very little of use, two out of three of the pistols the troopers were carrying were beyond useless. Firing them might be more dangerous than having them fired AT you. One was usable, an MP-466 Viking. I tucked it into my vest as a backup. I was sure I'd run out of 10mm ammo before long.
The other man was carrying a Thompson of some kind. It was practically held together with duct tape and rust so we left it behind. The two drums of ammo he was carrying could prove useful however, and I passed them to Shadowdump to keep safe.
We heard some voices nearby, and decided to investigate. A kid had ran into the house Traveler had snuck behind. So we followed him inside.
The woman inside was weathered, old, and rather hardened. She stared us down for a moment, before I suppose my beret caught her attention. She approached me to speak. Plainly she asked, "Why are you here?" I could admire the directness, silver had decided to speak for me and awnsered plainly herself. "Well Enrico chilvadori sent us here. Any of the rebels still alive? Need any help?" The old womans face turned questioning, she eyed Silver with suspicion and concern. "Enrico has been dead for years. How am I supposed to believe he sent you?" I remembered the letter he gave me during our meeting, he snuck it very carefully into the case with the diamonds. I showed it to the woman, and concern turned to surpise, then hope. "So Enrico hasn't forgotten us. Living in the comforts of his exile and he still wants to help us. Very well then. Follow me. Make no sudden movements. Miguel and his men have are nervious after the constant bombings." She left the bombed out building, we followed closely as instructed. I thought about the situation here, and supposed she either could be taking us to the rebels, or leading us into a trap.
We'd take our chances. If this is an ambush we'd already shown we're more than capable of handling ourselves.
Fatima
An older woman that appears to have connections to the Rebels. She seems to be telling the truth, and Enrico did mention her connections. There's no telling if she's turned during the meantime.
Pablo
Fatimas son. Quiet kid, kept his mouth shut the whole time we were there.
MP5A4 (9mm, SMG, NATO)
The ubiquitous SMG of the western world, used by special forces, police, and occasionally falls into the hands of the less reputable. It's very accurate and controllable. But can be a little complex to service. A solid SMG with few equals. I'd trust my life to one.
MP5A3 (10mm, SMG, NATO)
A varient of the MP5 with a folding stock, these are chambered for the more powerful 10mm round. This particular version of the gun was once considered for use by the FBI, but overpenitration caused them to go back to the 9mm round versions of the MP5 once more.
M79 (40mm grenades, Launcher, NATO)
Also known as the blooper. Found most of it's use in veitnam up until rifle mounted launchers make the dedicated m79 more questionable. Multiple shot revolver launchers eventually sounded the death knell of this launchers time in the limelight as a squad level launcher.
MP-446 Viking (9mm, pistol, NATO)
A civilian version of the Russian Yarygin PYa pistol used by the Russian military. This one can't load the armor peircing rounds it's meaner brother in the army can load. But it's still a solid and reliable pistol.