Adam's game continues from his last archived post in Jhiaxus; Adam Jhiaxus. He was beginning a new case, working with several spies from around the world, as he and Geneice attempt to uncover what connection exists between several recent well-orchestrated coups and several subversive groups. He is headed to Panama to continue this investigation. He wrote:
I just need intel from the rest. We'll pack our cases of weapons and items. I will have the bike shipped in freight to be picked up in Panama later.You land in Mexico City. What sort of accommodations did you wish to have arranged (top hotel, backwater hotel, something else) under which name? (Killian is your American passport, but it's also the name under which you created the mercenary identity.) Are you staying in the city for the night, or leaving immediately? Do you intend to sightsee over a week or so to reinforce your tourista cover, or move directly to Panama as quickly as possible?I will link up with Ethan, and my american flag is coming with me.
Adam
--M. J. Young
We will use Anthony Killian, and in a backwater hotel. We will sightsee over the week, then head to Panama. We will not drink the water.
Adam
I'd advise against breathing the air, too, since you are being so cautious.
What will you be drinking? Tequila is usually cheap, and available everywhere (the good stuff, I'm told, has the worm in the bottle). Other alcoholic beverages tend to be imported, although there is beer. Non-alcoholic soft drinks include fruit juices, but it does not always say whether it is fresh squeezed or reconstituted/cut with the water, soda bottled in Mexico City, coffee and tea from the water, and bottled water and mineral water, usually imported.
You will pass through the Aztec country on your way south. Sightseeing often involves day trips through the jungle afoot to reach ruins (there are more isolated ruins that require longer treks, but these aren't really normal sightseeing trips). Are you hitting any of these?
--M. J. Young
I'm so worried about when this post will be answered that I don't want an answer. I'll read a book.
Consider the post answered.
--M. J. Young
Still so concerned where I am in line, I think I will play some BF2142 and allow everyone else to have more gametime once again.
Adam
Thanks; it saves me time to prepare for tomorrow. I'm near exhausted today anyway (blog has most of the story), so I'm hoping to get an early night tonight so I can get an early start tomorrow and have nothing in the way by the time you arrive.
--M. J. Young
Not too much was played. Did some sightseeing, went through a country that was unstable, drank some cheap beer, got into Panama, met Ethan Hunt, suggusted a target to get people's attention, blew up a lock station for the canal. Made sure people saw us, and we were going through the border towns to get noticed and get noticed by who I need to get noticed by.
Adam
One technician was killed in a secondary blast when one of Geneice's three charges botched. The twosome left Panama City in the morning, heading west up the canal to the first town, where they got a room in a hotel and asked about contacting an arms dealer. The hotelier was obliging.
You have a meeting at eight tonight with a man who claims to be able to get what you need, according to the hotelier. It is in a closed cantina on the southern edge of town away from the canal; he gives you directions. The man's name is Juan.
--M. J. Young
*We go at 8 to the cantina, dressed the same as were last night*
*We walk in, goto the bartender, and ask to see Juan*
Adam
There is no bartender; as stated, the cantina is closed. It is not boarded up, but it does look abandoned, with the front door hanging ajar an inch or so and one of the front windows broken. Blinds are pulled on all the visible (from the front) windows, but there is a hint of light inside, probably from a lantern of some sort.
--M. J. Young
*Will find a way inside and look for Juan*
Adam
"Front door?" Geneice asks. "Or should we case the building first? I should give you backup, but I'm not sure whether that works better from out here or in there. I think we ought at least determine whether the rear door works."
She is awaiting your input on this, but checking her sidearm as she does.
--M. J. Young
"We'll walk around case the joint then go in the front door"
*will have Panaramic Awareness up the whole time*
Adam
The back door has been broken through at some time, long ago from the look of it; however, it is dark beyond it, so it must lead into a separate room from the one in which the light is burning. Some of the windows are boarded up, but most are either broken or open, and there are signs of vandalism about.
It's a small place, single-story, with adjacent buildings at least thirty to fifty yards away; the adjacent areas are also quiet, possibly abandoned.
You push the door open, revealing a much-vandalized open room with tables and chairs in ill repair, a bar against the far wall behind which is a broken mirror. The few bottles which have not been taken are obviously empty, dusty, and sometimes broken. The illumination comes from a single oil lamp on a table to your left, against the far corner and not visible from the windows. A man in a white suit and hat sits there smoking a cigar and sipping a drink from a Tequila bottle he clearly brought with him.
"Come in, Gringo," he says, his English under a thick accent. "I understand you wish to do some business. Let's talk."
--M. J. Young
Well I met with the supplier, and we negotiated 5 pounds of C4, and a Mortar Launcher and some mortars for $750 American, we agreed to meet the next night at the same location for the swap. We get back, sleep, clean our weapons, order omlets, and pass the day along till the meet time.
We arrive at the meeting, and our supplier is being led away by the military, and we drive on by on the motercycle, and park it, and head on back weapons out. I see there are about 20 men, and three vehicles, with 10 of the men in an open air troop carrier, 2 men in the cab, another 2 officers in a jeep and another 4 on a prisoner transport.
I decide to launch a rifle grenade into the open air troop carrier, and reduce the people there to hamburger, and even the people in the cab received serious injuries. I said in a loud voice to "Surrender or Die", but it went unheeded. It was about this time that the prisoner transport decided to try to get out of there, so I great jumped on top of it, opened the top with my Vibrokatana like a can of tuna fish and ripped off the top with a feat of strength. I slid into the prisoner area, and sank my katana into where the driver and passanger were sitting, and freed the dealer.
The carrier slowed, and crashed into a tree, causing not a lot of damage if any to us, and it took me a minute to cut through the back door, seeing the troops on the side either ran away, or left screaming father down the road we just came along.
I had Geneice follow me on the motercycle, and the jeep was close behind. I setup for a shot with my M29, and took out the passanger. I once again said, "Surrender or Die....yet again", this time the lone soldier did so, and we sent him on his way. The dealer said his goodbyes and said we don't owe him the balance for the items left at the cantina. I had Geneice drive the jeep out of town, and I picked up the items, and our luggage out of town to make a hasty exit.
I found Geneice using scrif sense, she has some of my gold nuggets, and we ditched the jeep and went to the next town, and tried to get a room. We walked into the place and the guy didn't seem right, and I did a Read Minds check on him, finding out that he hoped we were not the two they were looking for and that we aren't dangerous. I told him, we are those two we are looking for and that we are dangerous. He proceeded to tell me our descriptions are out there. I memorized his ID, and went back to the bike as the police showed up, and a chase began.
They chased us out of town, while Geneice pole vaulted over me, and took control of the bike, letting me toss some mortar rounds at them. I missed the first two times, the next two connecting, causing serious damage to one vehicle, causing it to turn over, the other one was still coming. I took out my gun and shot both the driver and headed off. We hid the bike off the road and turned off the lights and engines as other cars came by looking for us. We turned around looking to head up a side road, we came to the overturned truck, with the living guy trying to help the other two get out. One shot to the gas tank made sure all three were crispy critters. We turned up the side road and are heading to the outlying villages.
Adam
Excellent summary.
The agreed price was actually $1000 total--$250 for the C4, $500 for the mortar, and $250 for 10 mortar rounds. Also, it was more of a sedan--like a police cruiser--than a jeep, but since you've ditched it, that's not important. You paid $500 down, but the dealer declined the rest of the payment given that you had just pulled him out of military custody. The police arrived at the hotel before the hotel clerk was back inside, so it's obvious he did not alert them. You are headed south into the Panamanian countryside.
I think you used four mortar shells, but I'd believe three if you remember different.
What next? How far are you going?
--M. J. Young
It was 4, and we will travel about four to eight hours till we find a suitable out of the way town like someone would use to recruit for a revolt.
Adam
Dawn is starting to appear to your left as you leave the highway onto some back roads into the jungle. Before sunrise you find a rustic village with one nice well built house and a collection of rather primitive dwellings on the order of grass huts. The roads are dirt, and the fields suggest agriculture.
A wooden building near the center of the huts appears to be a cantina. Chickens and occasional other livestock are in the streets, and you catch a glimpse of an elderly hispanic woman in modern garb apparently gathering eggs from some nests fitted in wooden slat crates. Everyone else seems to be asleep.
--M. J. Young
We'll pull up to the Cantina, get off the bike, stretch, and take a look around. I have no problem passing time until people awake and figure out where we are.
Adam
As the sun rises, more people appear, filling buckets with water from handpumps along the road, heading out into the fields with simple farm tools over their shoulders. Some look at you, suspiciously or curiously or even with the occasional smile, but no one comes toward you.
The cantina is still quiet.
--M. J. Young
Waiting until it opens.
Adam
Before I say when the cantina opens, I should ask how long you would wait if it never opened. It will open before midnight, but until I know how long you are waiting I won't say more.
--M. J. Young
Well aside from nature calling and using the great outdoors as our bathroom, going to wait till it opens. I will likely get bored, so I will mention to Geneice this is a perfect opportunity to use alert rest, as we hadn't slept the night before. I will sit close to the bike back against the wall of the cantina, and try it and encourage Geneice to do the same.
Adam
Geneice agrees with the suggestion, and falls into a comfortable easy state of rest before you're settled.
Around lunchtime someone comes and opens the cantina. He gives you the sort of suspicious look reserved for strangers in a place where they are rare.
--M. J. Young
*stand up and stretch our legs, and give the man a few minutes to settle inside before we head on in and look around. I figure we have a few hours before the locals come here, or they may come for lunch either way, we'll settle in and try to find out where we are, and start the process of finding out if these people have any ties to the rebels*
Adam
You step into the building and the man is giving you a suspicious look, but Geneice charges forward in Mexican peasant Spanish, asking if this town is Toreno and if her uncle Juan Sanchez lives here. He softens immediately, saying no, he does not know Juan Sanchez nor where Toreno is, but this humble village is San Mattia, and he hopes that their hospitality will make the seniorita's visit comfortable. He offers both of you Tequila, which Geneice accepts, saying to you in the same Spanish that "we" obviously missed a turn somewhere, but she is too tired to continue looking today.
The host offers to let you stay in one of his rooms, and she insists on paying for the privilege, which he accepts when pressed. She also says that you will have to impose on him for food, which he says is no imposition.
--M. J. Young
I will reply in Russian to Geneice saying yes I'm hungry and that she has a nice ass. I'm pale enough to pull it off. Just want him to think I don't speak his language.
Adam
Geneice replies in "broken Russian" with a heavy Central American accent, telling you that you can look at her posterior later. She then shifts back to the Spanish to talk to the cantina owner.
"We got lost, and we've been up all night. If we could buy some food and then rest for a few hours, maybe we can figure out where we went wrong."
The man indicates that you should have a seat, and disappears into the next room.
He emerges shortly with some rolled flour tortillas of the sort in which one wraps burritos, plus some salsa and vegetables and a bottle of tequila. Geneice thanks him and pays him. She introduces herself as Juanita and you as Dramos.
Not long after you are settled, the lunch crowd comes in, farm workers looking for food and drink in the middle of the day, and your host becomes occupied. He tells Geneice that if you need anything she should ask, and he will show you the room whenever you are ready.
--M. J. Young
*Sitting around drinking some Tequila, looking at the people in the room, seeing if any of them appear to be more than meets the eye, if not will wait till the owner is not preoccupied and maybe start fishing for information*
Adam
Everyone you see appears to be a peasant in from the field, having a meal and a drink probably before taking a midday nap and then returning to the fields when the heat starts to break.
It takes about an hour and a half for everyone to move on to their jobs. The proprietor comes over.
"So sorry, seniorita, to keep you waiting. You would I think like to see your room now? You must be very tired."
--M. J. Young
*I will let Geneice guide the conversation, as she knows what my goals are*
Adam
Geneice agrees to be led to the room, and follows as the proprietor leads the way out a side door. The room hardly counts as a hotel, but has what is best described as a double cot, canvas pulled tight over metal bars, with a side table on which is a basin and pitcher, plus a clothes tree. He says that he is embarrassed that he has to charge such-and-such a price for the room, but she tells him it is a fair price and his kindness is appreciated. She also says she can think of nothing at the moment, but will find him if she does, when he asks if there will be anything else.
He leaves.
She shifts to Russian.
"I don't think he knows anything. I don't think any of them know anything. This would be a great place to really hide, but if there are rebel forces in the area, they don't seem to be in this village."
However, she admits that at the moment she does not have a better idea, and so wants to know what to do next, and whether it will include a room with hot running water.
--M. J. Young
We'll lets stay the night, get directions and hit the next town out. Also ask where gas can be bought around town.
Adam
If you want gasoline, you must either go back to the highway or find a wealthy landowner who has his own and is willing to sell or trade for it. The villages in this area are all peasant-owned farm communities, and no one has any use for gasoline out here. They grow potatoes, yams, corn, beans, and amaranth, all with hand tools, and ship them in wooden carts drawn by llamas or goats.
The proprietor does not know where you might find a wealthy landowner with gasoline. The hacienda here belongs to a retired farmer who sold his lands (cheaply) to the workers. He does no work, and has no car or tractor.
--M. J. Young
We will take off in the morning, thank him and pay him for his hospitality, and go up the road to the next town, looking for a landowner who would have need to gas up vehicles.
Adam
You head away from the highway, and over the course of the next five miles move through fields of various crops which require less and less maintenance, and then through a brief break of jungle-like trees and foliage, into fields of the lower maintenance varieties increasing to high-maintenance crops and then another village.
You know it is a village because there are several old iron water pumps in the road between the ramshackle huts. There is neither a hacienda nor a cantina that you can identify. Since it's been only ten miles, but the unpaved road has not been the best of surfaces for travel even on the bike, it took about twenty minutes to get here. The local men are mostly working in the fields, but for a few who are sleeping along the sides of the road; the women are tending domesticated fowl and small livestock (pigs are the largest), drawing water, washing rags which are apparently used as garments, and chasing dirty children.
--M. J. Young
We'll skip this town, looking for a town which looks to be carrying seedy elements or a landowner with a gas pump.
Adam
You ride about four or five hours south through many small villages, most like the one you saw; then you enter an area where the crops are--well, not exactly corn and potatoes anymore.
You are eyed suspiciously as you ride into town, but it is evident that there is a hacienda as well as a cantina here. It is also a larger village, more livestock running in the streets, people slightly better dressed--and there's a satelite dish on the hacienda.
--M. J. Young