"What do you say to this? You've seen the floorplans at least, which is better than I can say. The agency that I'm working with seems convinced beyond a doubt that Steranko is innocent and in danger. I'm going to infiltrate as a security agent for him at this party, to see if I can dig anything up. You can go in more covert and look for your own information. If things get hairy, then I can always just cause a distraction, and don't worry about me-I'm bulletproof."
"So we want to be there in three days. We have maybe an eight hour drive to get there; that gives us some time to plan details. On the other hand, I think they know you're in this hotel, and I doubt they have dropped their plans to kill you. So unless you have something you need to do while you are here, we should probably pick some other place to spend the next couple days."
She checks the peep hole on the door.
--M. J. Young
"Sure, I'll drive."
At that, I'll head downstairs with her (if no obstacles are presented along the way) and I'll wait for the valet service to get my car to me.
Before getting in, I do a quick sweep (just walking around it and looking underneath) for anything that isn't supposed to be there (like a nifty black beeping box attached under the car).
You were last wearing the tux; I don't remember you getting changed out of it. Are you departing still in it, or if not when/where are you changing?
Mariska has a suitcase she has to retrieve from her room. When she gets to the car, she pops it open and removes a nine millimeter pistol and several clips from it, rather expertly handling them to make sure she is fully loaded and ready.
You find a little box stickied to the rear bumper, a small extended antenna drawn out from it. It removes easily.
As you start the car, the computer alerts you: "A tracking device was detected on the rear bumper since last operation. It has been removed." It tells you where the device is now, unless you have destroyed it, in which case it tells you where it was when it ceased functioning.
Mariska asks, "Can we stop at my apartment? It's in western Austria, not far out of the way, and I want to get a few more supplies and get rid of this evening gown."
--M. J. Young
I am still in the tux...I don't remember saying that I'd change clothes.
I non chalantly give the box to the valet, and drive off to the destination, wherever Mariska tells me to go.
"I don't see why we can't stop by for some more appropriate attire."
Before we arrive, I move the shotgun that I got from Zig's car into my back seat, and I change my clothes back and put my pistol on my person, just in case.
Before you leave the room, Mariska comments on the Tux.
"Is that the standard issue tux with the BO blasters? Be careful with that."
It will be late in the day by the time you reach Mariska's apartment.
--M. J. Young
I remember the BO blasters. It's just that I'm not as comfortable in formal attire, and I enjoy my other clothing more-easier to move in and such.
I'm fine with arriving at Mariska's place at that time during the day. Off and away!
Mariska takes her suitcase when you open the trunk, and she leads the way into a somewhat artsy small apartment.
She opens an armoir, from which she withdraws a duffelbag. This apparently contains another 9mm pistol. Opening the drawers, she adds several clips plus several boxes of bullets to it.
She grabs jeans and a T-shirt from a closet, then vanishes into the bathroom. You hear the shower for about a minute, and in five she is out, brushing her shoulder-length dirty-blonde hair into its curls.
She tosses a denim jacket on top of the duffel, clearly intending to take it along.
"So, if the next step has you at that party in three days, what do we do between now and then?"
Her apartment has what appears to be a fold-out sofa bed, full sized when open, but the pillow and blanket suggest that she tends to sleep on it as is; a stuffed chair; a small kitchenette table with three metal and padding chairs, the armoir, and a table between the sofa and the chair. There is a small walk-in kitchen suitably appointed for a single woman to do her own cooking, and a bathroom with shower stall. Three closets appear to be the clothes closet here, the linen closet in the bathroom, and the broom and pantry closet in the kitchen.
There is a picture of a man in his mid to late forties on the table.
--M. J. Young
I tell Mariska that I'm going to get on talking to the organization about my presence at Steranko's party.
When I get to my car phone, I pick up and ask to speak to my handlers from the intelligence, like before. I'll tell them that I've gathered intel that Steranko could possibly be attacked at his party, and that I will attend it to further investigate the situation. Do they give me any orders on the issue?
I ask them to please wire me blueprints of the establishment and possible ways that people could sneak into the complex, so that I might cut any assassins off.
Once that's over, whether or not I got what I wanted from the agency, I return to Mariska's place, pick up the picture of the man on the table, and look at it, talking while I do. "Is this your father, Blade? Have you ever thought that just maybe he might still be alive, Mariska?"
You are patched through to Richardson, the man who picked you up at the airport and equipped and briefed you.
"So, you don't think Steranko is behind it now? Do you have any leads concerning who is?"
"Very good. We'll alert his security people to expect you."
"Steranko's people have made quite a few changes. We're uploading to your onboard computer the floorplans of the castle from before he purchased it, but nothing is certain about it. We do know that he has enclosed the entire facility with barbed wire topped chain link, along with cameras and motion centers in some points. More security has been installed inside, and judging from the smoke that comes from the place they're still doing some major renovations inside. Sneaking in is unlikely; the main gate is the best entrance. Oh--he has added a heliport on the roof."
The castle is huge; you can barely take in the major points.
The main entrance opens into a very large foyer, large enough to contain a two-story middle-class house, with a balcony accessed by ramp near the door that runs around the outside.
There is a separate major entrance into what is indicated as an old lodge room, a huge hall in which meetings could be held; this is around to the right side as you face the front door from outside, fairly far from the entrance but with a driveway that leads to it from the main gate.
There is a large parking area around to the left, where the map shows servant quarters and storage areas.
The upper floor is indicated as living quarters, but include a small kitchen and dining room.
There is a small dungeon area below, half a dozen individual cells in a circle around a guard area.
Do you have any other questions?
--M. J. Young
hey....I was enjoying this story....where is Kurt?
Wish I knew.
--M. J. Young
Apologies for not being on in the last six months. I'll make sure the story is more entertaining for you, Brock, considering you've had to wait.
"To be absolutely honest, Richardson, I do have information regarding his possible assassins. It seems that Steranko has been amassing gold coins and re-minting them to fit with his own national currency, whenever he decides to start a nation. These assassins believe that he's been planning this for some time and is responsible for the deaths of the other finance ministers and want to stop him. I need to investigate this story more to get closer to the assassins. Can you get me invitations to the party he's hosting in three days? If not, I need a list of guests along with pictures and locations. I'll have to improvise for my attendance."
Yay! I wanted to see more of Why Spy!
We've got a discrepancy. Within this conversation you've already arranged with Richardson to be added to the security detail for the party, to protect Steranko against unknown potential assassins; you're now asking for an invitation to the party to investigate the claims that Steranko is a target because the assassins believe he is establishing his own empire. The latter can be arranged, if you prefer. Up to you on this. We can do either, but it would be difficult to do both.
I'm not certain whether this detail has been mentioned, but it is known: as finance minister of the EEC, Steranko recently directed that all member nations deliver their gold reserves to his stronghold for safekeeping. Some of the finance ministers objected to this, but as they have since become victims of the unknown assassin their objections had little effect.
--M. J. Young
My bad, I had overlooked that upon my return.
Instead, take this as my response instead of my previous post:
"I have a few different leads right now, but everything points to that party. There are assassins that seem to believe that Steranko is up to no good. The party is the place where their intentions will be revealed. I'll find everything out. I'll get back to you after the party."
When I end the transmission, I head back inside to see Mariska. If I make it inside without incident, then I pick up the picture that I took note of earlier of a man, and ask her, "So, is this your father?"
She acknowledges it. "He tried to be as good a father as he could; he sent me that imprinted coin a month before he died, and said that he knew Steranko was behind it but he would need better proof before he could make that kind of accusation. He must have gotten it, because he never contacted me again, and the intelligence agencies decided to ask the United States to send you. They think they have a leak, and that you'll be able to do this because no one knows you; but they have undoubtedly told Steranko that you are coming, and if he is not behind this, someone in his organization undoubtedly is."
Your computer spits out credentials for you to report to the Austrian castle as special security.
--M. J. Young
"Well, we're going to find everything out soon, I promise. We'll finish what your father couldn't and bring whoever is behind everything to justice. Now, if you're ready to go, gather your things. We'll take my car and stop somewhere closer to our destination. I'll explain more of my plan in the car."
If she comes with me to the car without incident...
I show her the plans for the building. "We could assume that the main event will take place in his main hall, but we can't be absolutely sure until we arrive on-scene. I've managed to get a position as a special security provision, but you'll have to find another way in. These plans should help someone of your calibur get in undetected. When inside, find a server, discover the location of the main events, and help me if things go south, which they probably will. I'll need your help."
I'll use the computer in the car to find a location on the way where we can shack up for the night.
Hmmm..."shack up" may have had a different definition in my generation than it does in yours. I'll assume that you're looking for a hotel near the castle.
The computer finds five hotels, three hostels, and four bed-and-breakfasts within ten miles of the castle, but nothing within four. The nearest is a hostel, which Mariska says would not do for you because there's no privacy--it's all one room and lots of bunk beds, and people carrying guns would certainly raise suspicion. The best of the hotels is also the most distant, but ten miles is not so bad even in the Alps when you have a decent car. There is a reasonably good hotel six miles out, and one a mile closer that is not so good. The bed-and-breakfasts tend to be in isolated corners on side roads, undoubtedly having great views of the mountains and good for the illusion of being tourists, but considerably farther from the castle in terms of road distance than the ten mile radius would suggest.
It can make a reservation for you at any of the hotels. The bed-and-breakfasts will require that you make a phone call to check for openings, and the hostels provide space to whoever arrives until the space is filled.
--M. J. Young
I think it holds the same definition; however, I didn't mean it like that when I made the post. I was just talking about a place to stay.
I'll book the best hotel with the computer, and head there. On the way in the car, I ask Mariska if she knows how to use the BO blasters on the tuxedo, and I ask her to explain it to me.
Upon arrival to the hotel, I look to see how heavy security is on first glance and see if I'd probably manage to sneak a gun in with me, or if that would be difficult. I also wear my x-ray vision glasses inside with me.
"They didn't explain BO Blasters to you?" She shakes her head. "They're really rather simple, designed for short-range protection. If you raise both hands above your head, jets in the armpits of the jacket fire a burst of knockout gas to about five feet or so in front of you. Thus if someone tells you to raise your hands, if you're close enough to put them in range, it should cause them to black out. But they're pretty standard stuff, so there's a good chance Steranko's people are familiar with them."
When you say that you're going to look at how heavy security is upon arriving at the hotel, do you mean that you're checking the hotel security, or looking at the maps and information about the castle, or making the extra distance to try to get a look at the castle itself?
--M. J. Young
I was referring to the hotel, due to the fact that Ziggy is still out there somewhere.
If things seem relatively safe, when we get up to our room, I ask her if she can tell me everything she knows about guns, as well as if she's good with a rifle. I let Mariska know that I have one in my trunk-compliments of Zigesfeld.
"Well, I'm really best with my own nine millimeters, but Dad made sure I had some experience with a wide range of weapons. It's probably not so much training as you had in whatever agency it is that you work for, but I can fire a rifle well enough."
The hotel doesn't have any unusual security features, but you do have the sense that the desk staff does not give away information about the guests. The doors use those electronic cards for keys. Presumably someone could hack the computer and get your room number, but that's probably not how Zigesfeld would do it--and someone would have to know you were here, although if there's a leak your government-issued credit cards might be monitored.
--M. J. Young
"My training isn't extensive as you might think, my dear. Teach me about your guns." I gesture to her 9mm's when I ask her this.
I know that this is probably a long-shot, to be able to pull this off without a funny look, but I figure that I need to gain some knowlege in this world, and knowing how to operate and assemble a common pistol calibur (at least in my homeworld and this one) is a good skill to learn.
She shows you how to remove the clip, clear the chamber, eject a jam, break down the weapon to its major parts, and then how to put it all back together again. You perceive how it is done, and believe you could do the same yourself if necessary.
That does not mean you know how to aim and fire the weapon at this point, but probably you can teach yourself that in a pinch. You did manage to operate the mounted machine guns in the car.
--M. J. Young
I hand her both the shotgun and rifle after that, both stolen from Zigesfeld, and ask her to tell me about them as well.
Sorry for such a short post... I just bought 27 books for this semester...ugh.
She gives you pretty much the same show with the two larger guns, although it's clear that she knows her 9mm inside out and is considerably less adept at these. You're pretty clear on the rifle, but the shotgun comes across as considerably easier, or at least, you've got a bit better notion of what's required with that weapon.
--M. J. Young
"I've got to say, this experience has been rather educational, Mariska. You definately know your weapons." I slide onto the couch and call Harry over to me.
If Harry isn't inside with us, I'll go out and get him.
Then, I ask Mariska, after letting her see the bluprints to the building. "Do you think you'll be able to get in to help me?"
The blueprints are, of course, several pages; she is not as facile with the display device as she is with guns, but seems to understand how to page through them.
"Of course," she says, "we don't know how he's got all this guarded.
"I figure I should probably look for a place to breach the chain link fence, and bring a gown in my gear so I can change once on the grounds. I suspect that they will control guests at the gate, but if they find someone dressed for the party wandering the grounds they'll simply herd me in with the rest of the guests. Of course, I'll have to stow a pistol and some ammo in my bag, and I don't think I can risk bringing two of them--you can bring the other, since you'll be entering under the guise of security so having weapons will be appropriate. I don't think I'd take Zigesfeld's weapons, or at least I wouldn't have them visible--Ilsa will probably recognize them, not to mention Zigesfeld himself. But then, they might recognize you anyway, yes? You might have to do some fast talking to gloss over the apparent misunderstanding when Zigesfeld attempted to kill you. You'll also have to be aware of the possibility that he might try again."
She goes over the blueprints again.
"The party will probably be in this wing, the new dining area, not in the main hall. The main hall is huge, high-ceilinged, and a wonderful showplace, I'm sure, but not really situated well for serving food and drink.
"We don't have diagrams of the security systems or cameras, and we don't have the layout of the fence; but perhaps I can get a view of that from the mountains without causing too much suspicion. I'll need field glasses, but I'm sure every tourist store around here sells them.
"That's the best I can say. If you want me inside sooner, we'll have to figure out how to meet once on the grounds, or where you want me to go."
--M. J. Young
If I'm right, it's already dark where we are, but we still have two more days after tonight until the party. Is that correct?
"Well, I will probably end up returning Zig's weapons to him. I think it'll help smooth over the misunderstanding. And if he doesn't see eye to eye with me after that and still tries to kill me, you don't have to worry dear." I lean in a little, and say in a confident tone. "Nothing he can do can kill me. I'm bulletproof."
"Do you see anywhere in the blueprints as likely locations for him to hide his most valuable possessions? With luck, all we'll need is evidence to bring Steranko and his goons down." I will help her look for locations like this. Some qualities that I will look for are that they are well-secured areas (thick walls surrounding) and that they are closer to the center of the building.
I concur with your assessment of the time factors.
It is a genuine medieval castle, and has dungeons beneath it.
There is probably a treasure room somewhere, but the blueprints don't really indicate that. They do show some modifications for adding plumbing and hot water heat, a private dining room near the bedrooms, and thick stone walls in most places. There are indications that there once were a few secret passageways, but that later construction has sealed these.
--M. J. Young
"At that, dear, I think we should call it a night. We need to keep up our strengths for the following days."
I'll head to bed, bringing Zig's pistol with me, and putting it under my pillow (without letting Mariska see, if possible).
Mariska rather plainly places one of her guns on the nightstand and the other under her pillow. She changes into something like pajamas in the bathroom. She takes no note of your gun placement.
The night passes uneventfully, and she is awake and dressed before you are up.
"We can have breakfast delivered," she says, "unless you'd rather try the dining room."
--M. J. Young
"Let's get it delivered. I don't want to take any chances."
I remove the gun from under the pillow in plain sight, check the clip, and reload it. I use her example from earlier to do this. Does my repair pistol stuff already cover that kind of stuff like reloading?
Yes, I would think that reloading is covered under both repair and use. Hitting a target is specifically a use skill.
"Room service or delivery?" she asks as she picks up the room phone. "And what do you want?"
--M. J. Young
"Just get some bacon and an egg, over medium for me. And when they come, check to see it's actually room service. Zigesfeld tried to get me earlier by coming to my door, but I managed to avoid confrontation."
While waiting on the food, I ask Mariska, "So, do you know anything about poisons?"
Mariska phones the order to the desk, asks if you want coffee or orange juice or anything.
"Poisons? They kill people. If you're lucky, they only make you sick. Why? Were you planning to use one?"
There is a knock on the door a bit later.
--M. J. Young
I check the peephole before the food comes in, to see that there's a room service guy. Then, I accept the order by opening the door.
I'm perfectly fine with moving to getting supplies in town or going past that to actually going to the castle the day of, if you're cool with it.
I would be perfectly fine with that, too, except that....
There is a man standing at the door behind a pushcart, wearing a rather hurriedly donned hotel jacket over the wrong shirt, and a cap pulled down slightly to cover part of his face, which is turned sideways to obscure it further. He looks very like Ziggy, from the part you can see.
--M. J. Young
I take out the handgun I stole from Zigesfeld, and gesture for Mariska to aim at the door.
I consider then, for a moment, Zigesfeld, and his mortality. I can get shot and killed, but then I'll just wake up, like this last time, in another world; however, Zigesfeld will die if I shoot him. I have the upper-hand in this situation, both having him outgunned and the advantage of a suprise.
For the time being, I decide to take action, pointing the gun at the door and opening fire where I believe Zigesfeld is. I'm aiming for center of mass-his chest.