ARCHIVED: A Game of Shadows

(OOC: *Runway (Private)17-BAlamb)

General Martin Rose sat in a large, imposing carrier aircraft. he was waiting for the pilot to request him and his small unit's entry into Syrixia airspace, news of the Eden's disappearance and the terrorist attacks spread fast throughout the region. The media was powerful. Martin looked up into the bland, cold metal that the carrier was made of, it wasn't made for comfort but it was like a home to him - it was a home to him because this he knew he'd spent more time here, working for his government, than he had at home, with his family. It was depressing at heart but it had never bothered him, his family was trustworthy.
"General, sir!" The co-pilot had come to Martin, he knew what it was for. Syrixia had allowed them passage and a spot in the Balamb Airport private runways, usually kept for private jets.
"Yes, yes. Speak." Martin replied,
"We've been allowed passage onto Runway P17-BA*." The co-pilot told Martin, he then saluted and returned to the cockpit. Martin thought for a moment, he'd planned to bring his small unit of 50 men to the Parliament Building in the Syrixian capital and then begin a larger search. He knew Eden Hall was important for Cronaal, he was the one that most of the governments across the region spoke to and he was also the spokesperson for Diana, his queen. Besides this, he knew Eden Hall on a more personal level, they were friends during their University years in the University of Edeshire and Martin knew Eden was one of Diana's closest friends. Martin could only pray Eden wasn't dead.

Meanwhile in the Order Headquarters, the mysterious man continued to swear and hurt Eden Hall. He still had no idea why the man was trying to give him, what seemed like, a slow, painful death.
 
The agent pulled up his sleeve to reveal a strange tattoo on his arm. "This is the insignia of the terrorist organization Quasar. We were dedicated to launching attacks on Nebulan law enforcement agencies. Each member had his own vendetta, and was often free to pursue it with the assistance of his fellow members. Quasar was destroyed when Nebulan agents infiltrated it, then called in reinforcements to attack the main headquarters. All this was post-Galactan annexation, of course. After I fled, I came here."
It was all true, the agent knew. He had been one of the ones who has infiltrated it, which was why he still had the tattoo. It had been just a few weeks since Quasar had fallen.
 
Just as the Nebulan agent was about to receive a response from the Order member, the important news echoed throughout the tunnels. Rhuvanland was reunified and Agnes Liesel had won the Chancellorship. Franz Erhard, a moderate, had also become President and Heidi Rhein had become Leader of the Opposition. Murmurs erupted throughout the complex.

"Rhuvanland? Reunified under the leftist scum with a moderate President and Frau Rhein's Party fully part of their government?!"
"This can't be..."
"Have we failed? Has our western home succumbed?"
"This will not go lightly...we should send a message."
"Yeah! Yeah!"

Following the murmurs, a man who appeared to be one of the Order's leaders delivered an order to the man in charge of torturing Eden. This message was short, lasting only two words.

"Kill Hall."
 
When the mysterious man returned to Eden Hall, he had a large, rusted machete. He placed it onto the concrete floor and then began to set up a camera, he was going to stream the murder of Eden Hall onto the Deep Web. Eden was still in pain, he was still crying and his chest had long, red slashes on them as if he'd me whipped or cut by something.
"West Rhuvanland has been united with the filthy protectorate under leftist government." The man said to Eden, he sounded resentful and angry,
"My orders were to kill you, to show that we are unhappy with this decision. I shall make your death slow." he then added. Eden silenced himself, he shock and fear was more powerful than his overwhelming pain, he was afraid of what was going to happen. He was afraid of what would happen to his family and friends, what they would do. He prayed they wouldn't do the worst possible, suicide. The mysterious man had almost finished setting up the camera and connecting it to the streaming website so he tied a rope to the ceiling and hung Eden from that rope by his hands, leaving the nail in his shoulder. He then began streaming.

The man shoved the machete in several places into Eden's legs, the floor was already covered in blood by this point, Eden's screams were useless and had no effect on the man's little mercy. he then moved onto cutting chunks of flesh from his arm and feeding it to Eden, slicing his back if he refused to do so. Eden cried, he cried tears of fear and anger. Fear for that he knew he was going to die and anger for that he wished vengeance he'd never get upon this man, vengeance upon the man who was feeding him his own flesh. The man then began to sever one of Eden's arms off, he was surprised Eden wasn't dead by this point but once the arm was gone, his blood was too. The bones in his arm crunched and broke and fell apart into hundreds of pieces with blood gushing and pouring everywhere. Then the man began to beat Eden to his final death with his own arm,
"The world shall know our anger!" The man shouted as he hit Eden, his corpse. his dead body just waving round and shaking as it was hit. It was over, Eden's life was ended in the most brutal way possible.
 
"Fine." said the man. "You may join, but we'll be watching you. Go and take the body to the crematorium. Burn it and feed the ashes to our dogs so that Hall may be united with his pitiful brethren."

At that moment, Syrixian intelligence officials were attempting to hack into the Deep Web. The attempt had so far been fruitless, and had lasted for two days. However, suddenly, success was upon them. Immediately they found the video, all over the Deep Web. Clicking on it, they saw the murder. About an hour later, Prime Minister Nursson and Ambassador Crown had watched it too.

"Isn't that the old unfinished sewage complex in Oq Aran? They must be using that as a base." Nursson said. He then looked over to Crown and said, "We have them now."
 
The Nebulan agent went down to the dungeon. As soon as he entered, he threw up. He'd seen a lot of death in his time, but nothing like this. Putting on gloves, he gingerly began placing body parts onto a trolley, then rolled it to the crematorium.
As he returned, he saw a man coming up on the other side. The man carried a bloody machete and had blood all across his boots and pants.
The agent made a split-second decision. He thumbed the safety on his dart gun, then shot the man twice- once in the eye, once in the throat.
The darts were not loaded with a tranquilizer or a toxin. They were loaded with sulfuric acid. Normally they would be used to destroy locks, but the agent has decided it was time to repurpose them.
The man fell to the ground, screaming.
He was still screaming when he died half an hour later.
No one suspected the agent. He had, as soon as the man dropped, ran over and pretended to help until others could show up. And the cameras on the crematorium level were not as viewed as those on the entry levels and the prison area.
 
After talking with the Syrixian ministers and learning all that they could on the Order of the Loyal, the Assassin's went back to their hotel and gathered as much field intelligence as possible. While it was regrettable that Eden Hall was captured, both felt that the Order might slip up and reveal their location.

Zeta: "Omega... Look at this video on the Deep Web. A grisly murder but it shows where the Order is possibly. It looks to be in Syrixia in the old sewage complex."

Omega: " Ugh... Why can't these targets ever pick lavish places to hide out at."

Zeta: "We have our orders from the Maisu. And remember, we are both one assassination away from Master Assassin rank."

Omega: "True, but the Syrixians want the Order of the Loyal leaders brought in alive."

Zeta: "We can still take out a large number of their forces before apprehending the leader."

Omega: "Fine, let's get this over with."

Afterwards, the Assassin's put on their uniforms, equipped their dual hidden blades and made their way to the abandoned Oq Aran sewage complex.
 
The agent was on guard near the entrance when he saw two shadows moving stealthily through the alley. The only reason they were visible was that they wore black, when dark grey was better for not being spotted at night.
(Of course, the assassins knew this. But they wore black anyway, because style trumps utility.)
"Gentlemen," he whispered hoarsely, "don't hurt me. I'm a double agent, for Nebula. I can lead you almost anywhere in this complex. Just don't kill me!"
 
100 Syrixian soldiers marched in straight regiments from Stonessfurd to Oq Aran to back up the Assassins. While the Assassins killed the normal members of the Order and brought up the leaders, the soldiers would be there to ensure they didn't escape. A few soldiers would also go in to back up the Assassins however they were prolific killers and so it was not much of a worry. When they finally made it to Oq Aran, the lieutenant in charge, Lieutenant Neihuy Thha'qiu-nem, stepped up to the two Assassins and the Nebulan agent. "Just in case." he said, and smiled.
 
The strategic service Core snipers were watching the area surrounding the HQ as other teams formed a perimeter around the building and in the tunnels below. Their heads up display notified them that they were to remain unnoticed and form a containment perimeter unless told otherwise. Syrixian forces were on their way to work containment while the Kalti Assassins Guild infiltrated and neutralized the complex.

However this was not the only location the Order had established. The OSS cells had so far identified 5 other locations in the city with Order forces. Core teams were dispatched to neutralize those locations so they couldn't support their HQ as it fell.

"Prime Minister, I'd like to notify you of a couple operations our agents are about to undertake. We suspect there may be more, but we can not be sure." The Ambassador showed the Prime Minister the details on his secure Neocom. "We should probably let your forces know the Order isn't contained in one spot and they should be prepared just in case."
 
"This way to the armory, gentlemen."
"We're armed to the teeth, thank you very much."
"But do you want them to be?"
Five minutes later the armory was burning.
 
As Core team 6 moved in on their target deep inside Balamb, the target looked nothing like they expected. "A grocery store, lieutenant? Are they sure about this intel?" The team double checked that their location was the right one. "It says that this is the..." their K-9 'Apache' pointed at a stack of crates and gave the signal for explosives "...well, unless those crates of peppers naturally have a bit more kick to them, I'd say this is the place. Ready boys, it's time to make some new friends." The teams formed up and entered the building.
 
The Assassins, along with the Nebulan double agent were making quick work of the Order of the Loyal forces while the Syrixians followed behind picking off any stragglers. Soon, only the core leadership remained and were pinned down in the lower most portion of their sewer headquarters.

Omega (to the Nebulan): "What's your motivation in all of this?"

Zeta (also to the Nebulan): "Also, don't think of double crossing us. We won't hesitate to eliminate an double agent of Nebula. To our Maisu, you would be yet another of the casualties of this operation."
 
"My motivation is to wipe terrorism off the face of the earth. And if you kill me, the Emperator would be displeased."
 
When the troops, the Assassins and the Nebulan agent finally made their way into the deepest chambers, and came face-to-face with the Order's leadership. Its leader, Stein Valeria, came out of the shadows to face apprehension. A Syrixian trooper calmly stepped up to Valeria, read his identification, and said, "You are under arrest, Mr. Valeria, for the overseeing of the murders of His Holiness Escqi Julian XVI, and Minister Eden Hall of Cronaal, as well as overseeing the attempted murder of the Prime Minister. You have the right to remain silent, as anything you say can be used against you in a court of law." Valeria, however, calmly walked up with the troopers and did not attempt to resist arrest. His message had been sent, and he was now a martyr to his cause, just like his comrades Hermann Koch and Adolf Zieghausen. Valeria and his fellow leaders were marched into a truck along with those found in the grocery store. The Order had been defeated and now the trials had begun. Each leader was given a lengthy sentence in prison, while Valeria himself was sentenced to life in prison. It was all broadcast on international TV, and thus everyone in TNP got to see the end of the Order. After it was all done, the troops and Assassins had finished scouting the rest of the tunnels for other surviving members. None were found, however upon reaching the crematorium they did find the ashes of Eden Hall. They were brought out carefully and securely transferred to a newer, more regal box before being brought out. Finally, the troops, Assassins, and the Nebulan agent left the complex.
 
President Franz Erhard of the Federal Republic of Rhuvanland took the podium in a press conference in Alzenstadt. A light-skinned man with a wrinkled face and graying hair, he epitomized the battle-worn and defiant spirit of Rhuvanland itself. Rhuvanland had won its independence -- from both Syrixia and Kannex -- and now this debacle had been resolved. "We welcome the end of this terrorist group, the so-called Order of the Loyal. They were not loyalists to the Rhuvish cause. They stood against Rhuvish unification and thus against independence. Now, we hope to see peace and harmony restored to the region. Rhuvanland is now truly free and independent and joyful. Hoch lebe Rhuvische Unabhängigkeit!"
 
In a press conference, the Emperator made the following statement: "We welcome the unification of Rhuvanland and the collapse of the Order. For one thing, it'll make negotiations with Rhuvanland easier--- the liberals aren't so angry about the Bay of Cows invasion."
 
The people of Ceretis would like to express their condolences to the family and friends of Eden. A charitable donation has been collected for his family to assist them in their time of loss.

We are glad this period of trouble has ended and hope that there will be peace and prosperity for all those touched by these incidents.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top