FourtyTwo

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Singapore

Skye Rosalind Lyons

The Dying of the Night

Skye lumbered on out of the of the office, the CEO over her shoulder and the Scot aware she had to get this poor, silly bastard back up top. Leaving him here would risk exposing the infiltrators if a guard found him, which was going up in estimation by the second. At the best, she had to buy some time, and she could do that- by putting him in full view of everyone.

"Ohh....." Pavel moaned on her shoulder, garbling something in Greek that she couldn't decipher.

"Hestia, Hestia Sol....they....they're....it's not mine." Pavel mumbled, slobbering now, waking up more yet not fully in control.

At this point, Skye had no idea what he meant - any trace of that they would find on the computer probably, because Skye didn't really have time for the rest. His details, dealings, emails, all of it. There was good chance that the human touch of his biometrics would open up the computers like they were nothing and find that out. All shite, but hey, it was entertaining as she stayed back around a corner, a suite of guards moving through, Skye staying in the shadows and keeping her hand over his mouth, the tough Scot feeling able to at least dart past. And that she did, up the stairs, as elegantly as she could in heels that were beginning to hurt, her dress thankfully corrected by Sam and not too rough at least. That was, aside from the man she fireman-lifted up a set of stairs, straining under his weight but using the bannister, just about pulling it off.

At the top of the narrow stairwell, Skye peered round, and moved in, coming through an auxillary exit back into the party, the hubub of it making her almost seem like she was just part of the crew. Well, until a few heads turned, and Skye lumbered down his body, the sight of a few more partygoers coming over clear to see, as well as in the corner of her eye, a series of guards.
"What the hell happened to him? Is he alright?" One asked, Skye shrugging in response, looking down at Pavel, then back at the Chinese-accented, tuxedo wearing guest and his partner wrapped up against his side.
"Promise, I found him like this. I have no idea."
Skye's sultry Highland tone carried like a light breeze, innocent and dainty, yet certainly carrying the underlying dagger that she always held back in there. With that reply, Skye could only back away, and moving through the crowd, tried to look for Freya.

To that, Pavel stumbled up, bowling about, and moving into the crowd. Perfect, he was coming to life just when she needed it, the guards squarely looking at Skye and her movement using the bodies to her advantage, now finding a denser part of it, as she heard the man come to life behind him.
"Eyyy! Gettaoutamyway, peasants!" Pavel yelled, and then proceeded to retch, fumbling drunk across the floor and rather spectacularly, through multiple people. He was playing it utterly perfectly, and the minutes this would buy would get the team over the line, Skye watching Pavel climb onto a barstool and to that, she stopped in the crowd to observe.

"I'm the king of the world! And you know it!"

And poetically, and if almost, with a hint of perfect, sweet, beautiful irony, he fell forwards and to no guest, guard or anyone even trying to catch him as he fell flat onto the bar, and off it onto the floor in a heap. And the cocktail then did it's worst. The worst that a guest loudly yelled with the best Canadian accent Skye could have imagined.

"Oh god.....he's crapped himself!"

Skye was now dying of laughter the guards coming in closer, the red-dress, red-haired Scot holding back the scene yet it was etched in her memory, permanently. She could spy Freya talking to Ingwe, but all of a sudden, it was clear, well, he had bigger priorities to deal with. As fast as Skye moved, he seemed to move like a bowling ball through people, and while the team's giantess had certainly pulled him close, right now, Skye had no priorities but to put people, space, and room between her and him. Not if she wanted to have a spinal cord that worked.

"Crap! Team, grab what you need and get the hell out! Frigga, follow on my lead! I'm going for Plan B!"
Skye left her comms open, knowing it was the last chance. Security was going to swarm now. And the sooner Freya picked up the redhead in the crowd, she hoped the better.

And with that, the fire alarm came off, the sound of a loud klaxon making it very clear everyone was getting evacuated. Guards would swarm from beyond, and likely, the police were on their way.

The building was going to go into lockdown and wherever the team was would get an increased presence. Downstairs, the sound of more suit-wearing guards with 9mm pistols and a view to ice anyone they could find were flooding the office, and soon, they'd make it down to the server room. Guards like that weren't exactly ready for a full on firefight, but neither would much of the team. So it was probably better to run, than fight.

There were options here. An emergency stairwell would be available for anyone, but it would be guarded and no doubt very tricky to get through.

The infiltrators had the option of wingsuiting out- certainly, Sam was set for that, but Skye had left it open to the others. From 68 storeys up, it was more than viable and the fastest, albeit longest to setup for which came with risks. Alternatively, they could probably rappel down or use the elevator shaft, but against all odds, they were probably even riskier than literally flying out.

Xan probably had the best option- hide with the staff and eventually get out. It would work, well, unless he wanted to break from here and follow Skye's lead. She hadn't seen him in a while, but no doubt, she'd been helping Freya keep her intended man occupied. Freya would have had that luxury, if it wasn't for the passed out guard from earlier. Which her options limited. And fuck, Skye knew Freya was gonna hate her even worse after if she followed on the team lead's direction.

Skye's current option, the one she knew she was likely going to have to gun for? Well, that was one she really, really didn't want to use. Pretty much suicide, but then again, in this game, you had to think creatively. She'd done it once, but from at least a quarter of the height of this, and it was effectively like the greatest circus act you could probably think of. Doable, but one hell of a way out.

Leap of faith it was into an airbag in a semi truck trailer, a very, very long way down. Last time she had checked, it hadn't been towed.

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Vale Systems Offices, Singapore

Skye Rosalind Lyons

Two to One

Skye felt the fear, but whatever it was, kept it down. That stoic nature, trust. It came from doing this over, and over, and over. The term "operative" covered a lot, but you killed people, lied to people, stole information, did everything, Skye knew the members of her team had seen it themselves, but in that regard, Skye had to be one of those who still played it her way.

They were in the same area as the infiltrators were now, and Skye knew that they would be sneaking out of the way, and staying out of Skye, Pavel's and Alexei's reach, knowing they were unmarked and unfollowed aside from the occasional patrol. But then again, no better place to get the support if things went to shit. Though knowing the fact it was likely soundproofed, it would be risky. Worse so, because Skye knew with this chat, she had to get what she could, and play the situation out. The office was like a house almost, wooden decor reducing the wide open spaces down on this area, with Pavel's office being a large, tinted glass suite of its own kind in his own area.

Entering the office, Alexei standing at the back, Pavel took a seat, his strength clear to see in this position, the power a CEO had in his lavish, almost luxurious Singapore office one to behold. It was clad in a modern style with wood finishing and a soft wooden floor that felt like it bled money, without being tasteless. The sort of guy who didn't fly Emirates clearly, because he valued warm, clean aesthetic over garish, loud noise.

"So, you're in the presence of a CEO, a man with power. You are lucky indeed."
His voice carried, as Skye shook her head, now knowing pretenses were off. She needed Alexei out of the picture. This wasn't going to go perfectly, not the way she envisioned. He wasn't going to leave Pavel alone if she asked nicely, so she'd have to force the matter. It meant being a bit difficult, and well, setting her expectations a little too high.

"Is that how you address a lady like me?"

"I address you how you I like. File please. Before we talk anymore, I need trust. Then we talk terms, conditions, and all that shit." Pavel couldn't hold back his tone here, seeing the girl across from him as just another pawn in his game.
He felt angry to be doing business here, but he'd get his way, after all, he held all the cards and if she was so desperate to come into his clutches, he wasn't taking her tone. And she would come around after the money, just that he didn't like being spoken to like that first. Skye knew it was his weakness. And she was using it against him.

"You know I'm not giving you that. Not without you telling me what it's worth to you."

"It seems to be going down in price, as well as your life. And such a pretty lady, too. I would make a woman out of you." Pavel slyly retorted, leaning over the table, his womanising gone and now something far more sinister. It was like a switch tripped and out went the rich CEO, in came in the monster that had done what he did to Freya's workmates, and the other girls that were rumoured about.

"They commonly say that, but I'm smarter than you think. No dice. It's 50 million, and that's the preliminaries, only." This was a rather aggressive interview, but Skye was driving it up, not down. It would put Alexei in position and she'd know if he was armed, or not.
Skye retorted, as Alexei walked behind, Pavel sighing.

"I don't accept a waste of my time. I always get what I want. Alexei, if you would remind her of the situation." Skye smirked at him, watching as he went for his Sig Sauer pistol, Skye rolling back on the chair as she drew her own chunk of acid out of her handbag that was contained in her purse, swinging out simultaneously and grabbing his arm, twisting it over and smacking the weapon out, though the big man certainly had his wits on him. A hard hit came from him as he twisted out and threw Skye against the glass of the office, hurting plenty as he walked over, dusting himself off, pushing her back up the cracked glass, and wrapping hands to throat and up her neck, the air beginning to be squished out, Skye watching as he silently pushed tighter.

"Not my kink!" Skye wriggled, using a heel to get him in the groin and smashed the acid-filled perfume against his throat, allowing her to pull him down like a mountainside, wrapping herself up on top, punching him hard in the head. It wasn't enough as he rolled back, hitting Skye hard in the head with a response, enough to push her off and roll across and grab his pistol. With a pickup of the pistol by Alexei, Skye had no other options left, the whip cable off her purse taken as she charged, Alexei firing a couple of rounds at her, and yet unlike the anticipated effect would be, Skye didn't stop. She simply lept up with a kick, aware nobody normal would do this. The whole getting shot thing, that is.

It was why you had a ceramic lining in your dress, because it helped that idea out.

Alexei tried to grab but the kick sent him down as she wrapped the cable around his throat and pulled, winded as Skye lept onto his now weakened grip and turning the Sig Sauer in his hands out into her grip. The cable she held with her legs and knees was working, but this pistol was faster. With it, she pulled his hand back towards him and clacked him in the head, tapping twice with the trigger in his hand bent back towards him, the claret spilling bloodily from the bald Russian at point blank.

With Alexei out, Skye panted, exhaling as she drew the pistol up again, seeing Pavel try to get up and past the mess, of course, Alexei making it easy for the two to block the way out as they were at the door of the room. He'd been scrambling through his drawers, but his draw wasn't fast enough as he fumbled the pistol into hand, Skye already having hers raised before he could take hold. He wasn't even holding it right.

"Sit the fuck down. You're not going anywhere."

---

One to One

"You work for a competitor? Then I'll pay double what they want. Jesus!" His shock was palpable seeing his bodyguard get iced, but even more so, how easy Skye made it look, considering the size of Alexei and his talents. It seemed freakish, his nerves clear to see.

"It's not money I want, Pavel."

"Then who the hell are you? And what are you after then? This is in the way of a greater good, whatever you think you're doing, this goes so much bigger than what you are!"

"The greater good? You mean how your tech is in the hands of a shadowy organisation?" Skye's voice carried, as she knew the exact words she'd let slip.

"No idea what you're talking about....."

"Bullshit. I know you're in with Artemis."

"Well, it's like I don't have a choice. Artemis want the same thing, and nobody is going to change a thing. You can't see this, can you? The world is going to shit. How do you think the world keeps turning with all the gadgets, everything you get?"

"And you think that makes it okay to fund organisations trying to create a dirty bomb? Or is it just so convenient your algorithms are all over their work?" Skye was fuming- oh, she knew what Artemis might be like, probably enriching the rich for their own good through anarchy, but this, oh this was pandering to the worst.

"Because nobody will do what is needed. You live in fear, I live in opportunity. So tell me, what do you want? If you want to kill me, do it. They'll eat you alive by the hour. You do not know what you're messing with, MI6, CIA, whoever the fuck you are."

"None of the above. And I'm not going to kill you, Pavel. You're more valuable to me alive."

Skye pulled up her handbag once again, containing a vial that was encased inside a lip balm canister, drawing it out. This was nothing like what Sam had prepared- nope, this was a Skye special, from back in her day. She didn't want the team knowing she had something this awful, given that well, if Xan got his hands on it, the pranking would be terrifying.

"See this? I think it'll tell me a lot. It's a truth serum, I put this in you, and you tell me everything you know about Artemis, what you do, and who you've been hacking lately. Side effect is though in about five minutes, you'll be in a state of mind that is what you feel like after ten shots of vodka...and you will crap yourself. Choice is up to you if I inject it, though."

"What?"

"You'll need to go back to the party after our little chat. Your security isn't coming for you because you're not to be disturbed. I can get you up there, but what happens to your image, reputation, all of what you are is up to you."

"So that's it? You think Artemis will let me live if I tell you. I'd be a dead man walking."

"That is it. It's a risk you have to take. Gut tells me you'll live because you're too important to them. And to yourself, Pavel. Just get better bodyguards, yeah?"

He sighed, knowing he was truly screwed. There was no way out of this. And to him, his image was all that mattered. Being the best, on top. There was no fighting his way out of this. If Skye could do that to his henchman, and the pistol that she had was centred right at his head, there was little chance he would have.

Trick was, she had to engineer him a little here. Skye knew what she had spilled was risky, but it was enough to make him scared because she knew what he was involved in. It was enough to make him run to his network, rather than hide- the fact that someone like Skye had come in and done this would make him talk to his friends in a panic, realising he was under threat. It was more the idea of the fact that the bad men were coming after Pavel, more than anything. Making a man who thought he was invincible feel very mortal, and save his skin for now, before the team got the details they needed of him and his wider connections.

"Alright. After a few years ago and the original setup of Artemis fell apart, a group of government officials, CEOs, companies, realised that drastic measures need to be taken to protect us from our own mess. I heard it was much worse, what is on the table is better, and that is all I know. Artemis is going to put the world back on course, after some....setbacks. I'm just a supplier and I don't know shit, I promise, but the cabal on top in Artemis, they want to fix this whole thing. They don't want anarchy. They just want an order."

"What are you fucking talking about?"

"None of these solutions are going to work to solve all of our problems. They're all linked. Governments that don't work. Overpopulation. Climate change. Inequality, resources, water, food scarcity, all of it. There will be anarchy soon. People fighting over basic amenities let alone smartphones. And nobody wants to do a thing. We are out of time for the solutions. The only answer is to control, and that is down to people like us. People won't listen to speeches, technology, promises, they listen to fear. People will die, but we might keep things intact, and ourselves too. You kill me, there'll be another tech billionaire who has the same idea." Pavel paused, clearing his throat, his swear and fear dying back as he backed himself, Skye respecting that bravely enough, he was trying to justify it.

"Listen, you seem clever enough. Whatever your name is. You don't have to do this. You can replace Alexei, call it here and give in to reason. If you want to stop Artemis, I don't care what government, company, anyone you work for, it won't stop. It's inevitable. Because if they don't the wave of shit comes for us all and it all burns."

"No thanks, you seem like an asshole to work for. You know, I know about Pascha and Talisa. They thought they could do the same after they did what they did. They were going to fucking nuke major population centres, and kill billions for their cause. Because they believed they could repopulate the world with perfect people, and rule the ashes. And you think otherwise? Or did your overlords not tell you?"

"Not like that. They were a rogue element. They don't want to kill everyone, but you know as well as I do, the brakes need to be put on all of this. And it keeps me where I need to be. And the rest."

"Sure there's no more? You want more power for yourself in your crypto-fucking-fantasy? Control corrupts, and soon you will kill plenty more than you imagined. Starts with a few, ends with everyone. Way I see it, you're part of the fucking problem."

"Not just me then. I just host their servers and they keep me off hitlists of people like you, and keep business going. I promise, I've got nothing to do with any of the dirty work. Just a lot to gain if it goes right. And it's so much bigger than you think.....all of it. All the people in this. Listen to me, you can't stop this. You're either with them, or you'll be next. I have my bunker when it all goes to an end. Do you?"

"Well, clearly it's not working, keeping the riff-raff like me away. I feel fucking sorry for you, Pavel. All that money, status, power, everything. And yet you talk you're above it all, keeping your hands clean of blood and talking about people like they're things. At least I'm honest about killing Alexei. Not sure about you."

"So you'll join that world of hurt then. Whoever it is that is paying you will too."

"That's not for you to decide. I'm not getting any answers I like, so let's cut the crap."
Skye pulled the vial out, and knowing Pavel was scared, would get the last bits she needed, one way or another.

"Shit.....wait." Pavel mumbled, as he put his hands up, now the shoe being firmly on the other foot.

"There's my satellite network. It got used in a hack on an organisation I don't know anything about....a difficult one. My contact wanted it stopped badly. They came for something that was valuable to the organisation, and whatever it was, it was critical enough for me to throw everything I had at it. I want you to know that, before you do whatever you do to me, you won't be able to do anything with it, given it's out of reach. Even if you hack my computer, I don't see you living long enough. That's how it happened. Look, now you know, it won't matter." He retorted, chuckling, yet somewhat still in fear and worried. Gloating now was probably worth it, given he knew he'd done enough not to die.

Pavel knew his security would pick up the pieces quickly enough for this chancer, well, if Skye was alone they would. Little did they know that they were occupied, disabled, or worse, being snuck into.

"The security will lock this place down, or Artemis will find you again. They seem to know you personally. And I bet they're trying to send a message, whatever it is the Cabal want. It must have been you. Make them know they noticed whatever you are. So good luck putting it to use. With or without me, they get what they want."

"That sounds like you can't even own up to it. Like you're scared of what you gave them, and have to lie to yourself to keep it going. You know what I said about lying?"
Skye retorted, eying him up, rather sick of his semantics. Fuck, he was so much like a Bond villain, he had gone DOWN in her estimations. At least he'd just been a regular twat before that, but right now, he was a weaselly, snarky little bastard.

"You really deserve a bit of clarity."

With it, Skye took the concealed balm and with a flick, pulled the syringe and dabbed it straight into his neck, pushing him against the wall as he squirmed, before leaning back.

The cocktail wasn't exactly a truth serum, but more like a mix of rohypnol, anaesthetics and other psychoactive drugs from the time of MK Ultra, fused in a chemical cocktail known in the industry as "Runner's Martini". It would put him under for about three minutes, and waking up after that in recovery would feel like getting roofied, being so drunk, high and out of his ass, he'd start spewing all kinds of nonsense, as well as in time, fluids and other bodily functions that didn't need thinking about. There was no antidote, and it lasted for a good hour of utter comedy till his stomach was cleared. The sort of thing you used because you wanted a target incapacitated, and then very much awake, but a bumbling, utter train wreck. The sort of drug that wasn't a sleeping agent, but more like a spy's wet dream. A perfect distraction that ruined people.

Pavel had spilled some interesting details too. The satellite launches and network that everyone knew about clearly had some effect on the mission in being able to tap into comms and could have some wider impacts beyond that as well as other activity that Artemis had for communications or untrackable data, but they wouldn't be everything that they needed. That was likely to be on the servers, and computers, including right here, in his office. That was one part- and likely it held much of Artemis's information, not just the hack itself. That bit was small change, what was more important was who was tangled in it- namely, this shapely bastard and his role in it, and the wider network would emerge from that. That, and the fact that they weren't done here for information. Sam had bugging to do, and they would find out who, what and where he was calling when all was said and all was done.

What concerned Skye was the fact Pavel clearly wasn't all the way in with Artemis's activities. He was involved, but more likely than not, doing it for his own protection, and everything pointed to that. Like he was paranoid about people coming for him and taking his crown. For his own defence, which in some way, scared her a hell of a lot more. If even Pavel couldn't look after himself, then who the fuck was in the middle of this? It suggested Artemis's motives were far darker than anyone knew. Not just some corrupt government, but if they'd convinced Pavel he was safe from what was to come, Skye almost wondered how bad it would get.

A few years ago, a black on black debrief document came out after a mission involving a suspected set of nuclear launch sites in Kerala and Idaho being hijacked by fringe elements of Artemis, the kind that Skye's predecessor had to go and deal with- even then, most of it was redacted. It was a lunatic thing to have read, but it had been stopped just in time, and very, very quietly, everyone had been sworn to secrecy given the world as everyone had known it had almost ended. And it probably wasn't the first time. Not that the main elements of the team knew this, of course. What she wondered was that perhaps Artemis were thinking the same. If at all something like that could happen, then it wasn't just some shady anarchist group. Perhaps they were even bringing modern day feudal lords like him over the table. Live, in a new world, or die, with the old. Just how they were doing it, Skye didn't know. But it didn't sound good, and Pavel had been convinced he had to be there on the right side of things, and blackmailed to whatever was required.

The last bit though, that one sunk in. Skye had to wonder. Maybe it was a nudge, to let whoever she worked for know, they were being noticed now. Pavel probably had no idea, but perhaps, he'd put the dots together and finally saw his enemy in the flesh, not on other side of a screen.

---

One to None - A Workplace Guide to Human Resources, Project Management and Motivation with Skye Lyons

On that note, Skye started the process for any HVT's personal details- biometrics for scanners in particular, and anything on his person. There was no personal alarm on him, and his security team were probably too busy with Freya, as she got to work. In the field it would have been too much work given it took time to do a full scan, but with the hidden phone, she could do that, starting to get his handprints onto their network, as well as his eyes, where he sat out cold.

It was going to be an interesting process to say the least- Skye now had clear space to properly talk, and address the team properly given they were all at work.

@Wayward@LadyAmber@Theyra

"Change of plan, team. I had my chat and I'm in his office, currently with a very out of it Pavel. Guard details are minimal, but keep your eyes open. Hornet, Chaos, Jaguar, I'm getting his fingerprints and his retinal image. I need to get him back upstairs soon, so I might need a hand sneaking up to drop him at the top of the stairs. Recommend you get to me soon as you can, that gives you time to hack his computers. Jaguar, the servers the next level down will be more difficult to break into, but Chaos might be able to help from Pavel's computer. We do not have much time, so everyone, hustle your shite."

Skye seemed confident as ever, firm as ever even as the team lead dusted herself off, the marks on her neck clear to see that she'd nearly been choked out, but hey, once again, not dying was always a top thing to do when you were held by a Russian bodyguard.

Could recommend that, checking her dress and the metal rounds falling out from where the weave had stopped the rounds. If they weren't hollow points, she'd be hurting a hell of a lot more, when the adrenaline wore off.

She felt for Mateo, who clearly was going to be a little more pissed at Skye than she was comfortable with, yet couldn't blame him for. No doubt Freya might be the same. She had a lot of apologies to make, but sometimes, the greater good like Pavel said, needed a few sacrifices in the short term, as awful as she had to agree with him there was. Besides, she knew she'd have the details for them both soon, there'd be a way back at some more revenge. Opportunities and all that, and she hoped that she'd make it up in the long term as a result of this work, as likely the network might include some people they wanted to see.

@Awesomoman64@BigPapaBelial
"Frigga, Glitch, recommend you tell Carl to short Vale stock, and stay on top of their security until you see me. Trust me, it'll be the best financial investment you ever make, so Glitch, make sure the cameras are all eyes on Pavel when he comes back. We may need to go with Plan B for our way out. When we do, follow my lead and don't stop. That's a way I don't want to use if the alarm goes off, but we might not have a choice."
Skye looked around after she'd finished up, and pulling up his computer kept her eyes open, knowing that Sam, Mateo or Michelle could get to her now- likely it would be Sam in here and Mateo to the servers, though she knew that they would figure that out for themselves, as she cut the comms to Mateo, last of all.
@Theyra
"Just trust me on this one, Mateo. We'll get him, we'll have ID on the cameras but not here."

She began to pull the slobbering Pavel up against the desk, and with an uncomfortable pull, got him in a position that could be fireman lifted onto her shoulder when ready, sighing, as she murmured to herself. It wasn't the first time she'd done this.
"The things I do for drunk people."

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Singapore

Skye Rosalind Lyons

Social Butterfly

The atmosphere was certainly getting busier, as more guests came in, the sleek wooden floor getting more busy as the team were getting caught up, one by one. From Freya tangling up with the guard, Carl keeping watch over the rest, Xan serving drinks, Sam breaking and entering, and well, the others doing what she hoped was their little part to play, Skye kept her own attention turned to the fact this was business, not pleasure. Though the sight of Xander with a tray of drinks, including champagne, as she took the glass, sliding the keycard under.

@Awesomoman64

"Why, thank you...Henry." Skye replied back to the waiter, the incognito Australian fitting in just perfectly. The handoff was slick as anything, the pass sliding across under the other like it was barely a thing, the two proficient at their craft. They had to be, because any slip-ups here meant it was certainly going to hell.
"You seem to be a rather dashing waiter, out of all of them. I'd say you'd almost have a knack for it." Skye added, giggling, making it out she was flirting with him as she walked up to his ear, her height allowing her to just lean in and peck him on the neck, then whisper up in his ear:
"Pavel's behind you. Leave me to this one." She whispered to Xan, using the chance to look over and see him.

And there he was, Pavel Andros, talking to two other businessmen, the late 30-something tech billionaire exactly the depiction of wealth you could imagine. Smart casual with a shirt that on the surface looked not that expensive, but in reality, was in the thousands of dollars, with a watch to match, and sunglasses on his temple that followed. A sharp look in his eye and obviously some physical training at the gym, but one that of course, just masked the nerd underneath. He was a weasel trying to play at being a big man.

Looking back into his eyes, Skye gave a wry blush and left him with that, walking across to the bar, champagne glass in hand and one keycard lighter. The piano playing away, the soft tones filling the void between conversation, it was a rather classy place to be. The redhead certainly felt the part, her presence unlike her usual warhawk self, in this instance, smooth and easygoing, like she was a part of this. A chameleon, moving like any of the bastards she didn't like did.

@LadyAmber
With that interaction, she kept her ear out, hearing Sam's voice call in her ear, knowing she'd already started her way in but being unable to respond. After taking a separate entry, Sam was headed down into the gutter of the offices, and had gotten her kit, as well as already getting into the cameras. Not bad at all, considering everything- and well, making her moves. No doubt Michelle would be following Sam down into the gutters, the master thief so quiet Skye sometimes forgot how quiet she was in these situations. Alas, you let professionals do their thing, and they got results. Skye knew that all too well in her own method.

-----

While unable to reply just yet, Skye looked back over to Freya, Carl, Jamie and Geza, the sight of them getting together and interacting on certainly enough to turn the heads of the party. Including guards. But not Skye's, as she took her champagne and sipped it down, the red-head, red-dressed Scot moving towards the group, glass in hand. There were security around, but well, it was free-flowing. They were talking all kinds of tech, as Pavel cut away from the group, Skye watching as she knew she'd missed this chance. That was because the twat had something to say, heading towards a raised podium across the floor, where one of his lackeys held a microphone, hooked up to the speaker system of the place. The vibe died suddenly as the speaker kicked in, the pianist finishing his piece, anticipating as the man on the platform put mic to lips.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we thank you for coming to our party tonight, and hope you are enjoying your time! We hope you enjoyed your free drinks, and that the music is to your liking, please give it up for James Nicholls on the piano! And now, for a special speaker, the Chief Executive Officer of Vale Systems, Pavel Andros!" The suited man stepped down as Pavel emerged from the group of suited men he was talking to, the small crowd applauding as he took the microphone, hand up, waving to the group, this corporate little bit of hand waving inevitable. Of course there was something like this.

"Thank you, thank you Christopher! Hello all, once again, thank you for coming and taking the time out of your busy schedules, but I know many of you will have been on our journey as key investors. So many faces I recognise, so many people working to make the world a better place, and without you, we change the world. Vale has been recording record share prices this year, and through my leadership, where would we be?!" Pavel started, the crowd chuckling to his more likely than not, sarcasm that was probably really how he saw himself.

"We have been at the cutting edge of technology for over ten years, and our time in Singapore has been one we have seen particular growth in our design and sustainability sectors, through engagement with the local market. Our journey has proven that we can disrupt the market, and do things better, cleaner, faster. From cutting edge solutions in electronics and computing, to our proven record in ore to chipset management, we have proven that the future is Vale."

"But most of all, I wanted to take this opportunity to say to you now, that your trust in Vale's values is one I take to heart, and it's why I take the opportunity to announce our investments in our new, large-scale, Vale Systems, World Engineering team. For too long, we have suffered the effects of climate change and resource scarcity. No more. Our Ferrovia One project starting later this year in the Canary Islands is on the front line against our changing climate, stabilising and bringing frequent rain back to North Africa and Spain after years of drought, and with our new satellites, we are finding new deposits of rare earth minerals that will better humankind and allow us to optimise the way we find, mine and manage our vulnerable resources, making Vale a market leader. We are investing in AI systems to help us fix the big problems, the challenges of the world through connected, linked systems for major infrastructure providers. "

The bit people didn't mention, or at least, if you were somewhat read up enough was that Pavel was full of shit. Ferrovia-One was an overhyped idea of hybrid iron fertilisation blended with wind, solar and seed fertilisation for clouds- and was incredibly inconsistent as an idea. Incredibly risky even, and even national governments had an issue with it in dealing with multiple heatwaves, and given it was being funded to protect agricultural interests, was rather closed in on a certain problem of other companies Vale worked with. So too was the satellites, that bit in particular, Skye knew something was sneaky there. And the AI? Shit, he was getting his claws inside the system. Not because he was with Artemis as a goon, but no doubt, it would be rather handy.

The crowd took it in, but deep inside, Skye had her concerns- sure, it was noble, but once again, overpromise, lie, and turn the wheel. Oh, what a guy.

"We are delivering the future of that world you once dreamed about, today, and we have natural computation models that are years ahead of the curve. We have invested in computational power that now makes us a market leader, and we are putting that to use, while generating record growth, return and achievement. And I thank you for your investment, because you're with us on this journey to make a better world."

"You can all sleep easy that you may be drinking champagne, but you are all making real change. So please, enjoy yourselves, and enjoy your evening with Vale. Thank you, once again for coming, and thank you for your support."
Pavel finished to the crowd's applause, stepping down from the platform after drinking it in, the crowd calming down and back to their conversations.

After Pavel's little speech, Skye knew he would be swamped. So she gave it a little while, finding a corner to drink her champagne in, before looking back to Xander, then back at Pavel. In time, she'd make her move, as the team went through the site.

---

Skye had the chance in the interim to chat with other guests, keeping up her façade, aware that right now she needed to move off that whole idea of a bodyguard, and well, someone who fitted in here. She was a ghost, and no doubt, she'd have a fair amount of bullshit to get through, but if you believed your story well enough, it worked. As Sam would have seen, this place was full of well to do businessmen, Vale employees, execs and directors, even a couple of Sheikhs, but worse than that, well, Andreas Tejador. Shit. That one wasn't part of the plan, but then again, he was milling around the rest. She adjusted her frequency, picking up Mateo. She'd seen him come in, and mingle a little himself before likely going downstairs to join Sam on the servers.

@Theyra
"Mateo, recommend you don't come back up. There's one of the Tejador boys up here. Looks like he's out of the way, but don't get tied into anything. Stay focussed on the task at hand. We'll sort him another day." Skye commented calmly, out of earshot and mumbling into her comms, before recentring herself, looking around, and then finding Pavel once again. Right by the side of a bar, under a little porch area, and right for the taking. She had to hope Mateo had his wits on him- he'd figured it out no doubt the sort of crowd that was here, and she hoped he trusted her enough with her word. There were bigger fish to fry, and Skye was very aware she was depending on a lot of trust here to get this done.

It was a strange place to be. Skye knew that the themes that Pavel had touched on were the very real problems that many wanted answers for. Inequality, climate change, all noble things to try and fix. Even she had to admit, some of it felt needed. But the encroachment of that world on politics, the order of things, it felt like it was in the tipping point. Artemis was chaotic and fuck, they weren't eco-terrorists, they just wanted carnage. And to make money, which just felt at odds with Pavel, and what he was doing. If they were tied up, then Skye's concern was more significant than that. They were up to something in the end, and while Skye knew how close previous groups like Artemis had come before in establishing a new world order, or straight up destroying the world as they knew it, just bombing things felt like a misdirection for a greater play. One that needed some answers.

With a sly move through the crowd, Skye came up through, seeing Pavel just about finish up with one group, making her way through, seductive as ever, her Scots accent sticking. There was relatively little in the way of guards, now that Freya had most of their attention, leaving a only a couple of bodyguards in the close vicinity.

"Pavel, that was an excellent speech, aye, no' bad at all. I think we met last year, back in....Dubai, I recall?" Skye introduced herself, knowing full well that well, rubbing ego was the way to go. When you were working on social engineering, you became an echo, and slowly, but surely, you crept in. It was confidence trickery- you made them believe you, get in close, then bam, get them. You play a very specific game, Skye said to herself. This wasn't like trying to convince someone in her team to work, no, this was getting inside his head without losing your own. Making rapport, getting confidence, and then in exactly the right moment, making them do what you want.

The fact she was also a redhead in a red dress, and rather ripe for the taking was always a thing. Pavel was a serial womaniser, suppressed enough by an army of lawyers to make sure nothing ever got out, and while his business mind would tick, Skye's mere presence would start it away. A sultry-toned Scot, her voice like a Highland breeze just being enhanced by the champagne she'd been drinking. She looked every part of the elegance she was, and Pavels' heart rate only increased, even in his confusion.

"Maybe? I am not sure, but thank you. Sorry, who are you again?" Pavel replied, turning his head across, Skye standing at the same height at him, and no doubt catching him off guard, her charm back on again.

"Skye Caldwell, freelance consultant. Used to work for Jottunheim a while back, but doing my own thing...we met while I worked there. I heard a lot about your own work on superconductors, so just had to meet the man who's big in the game for them again, we chatted a bit about it last time?"
Skye remarked, back to her usual game. There was a way to play social engineering off, and she was experienced enough a field operative to know how to do it. Her stoicism paired with a little ability to play naive, be someone she wasn't could come out to full effect.

"Really? I had some run in with your old boss....she is quite the character, hey? Talk about dominating the workplace....it could make someone want to get out there." He smugly remarked, not giving anything away, but oh, Skye knew it all in the here and now, and played along.

"Yes, you could say that....I was in her R&D team, a while back. Needed my own thing after a while. But your business is certainly doing well. The industry turned their heads after your work in South Korea on their new Maglev line."
Skye started, making sure she could tap into that ego of his. It got him good, that was for sure, the Eastern European accent of Pavel broken up with the Greek Cypriot and predominantly Americanised, Silicon Valley exec tone he held.

"It did very well, yes. You know, I don't think I'd get anyone who knew superconductors here. Tell me, where was Freya up to?"
Skye had him in. Oh, but she didn't know much, but well, this was what she had gambled on a little. That initial confidence, curiosity would just keep digging.

"Well....NDAs and all that, but she was doing some very interesting tests. I can't say, but near room-temperature superconductors for coil and electromagnet systems. Really interesting. The industry will be certainly changing again when that stuff gets to market, including your material sciences program and engineering consultancy." Skye knew a little jargon, she'd gone in prepared, well, enough to hold her own here.

"Well...whatever NDA it is, I'm sure I could pay off her lawyers. That is, if you were willing to discuss a little more?" His business brain turned, because well, that instantly got something going, as he leaned in close, a little too close. Fuck, he was a freak. But of course he was, with his history and Skye looking the way she did, the athleticism rather than sheer muscles making her look like she was just some runner of some description while out at the party. He got in close, eyeing up Skye, already giving her absolute creep vibes. It felt odd, he wasn't obviously attracted to her like the 20 year old girls he probably courted, but hell, even this felt weird. Skye had dealt with worse, but hey, you did what you did to keep their attention, as Pavel put a hand on hers, Skye slowly pulling back as she replied.

"Uhhh....we get on well. In fact, as an old colleague, and she invited me too.....shit, I wasn't sure about this. Feels bad. But...I guess I kind of made most of it happen. So thought you might be partial to it. Though if anything, purely because I'm looking for work..." Skye played that fiddle rather well, the other one that didn't have strings and was quite small. Pavel had strict orders to his team to not let in anyone else beyond Freya to this party, given their past run in, but right now, this was too interesting. Skye knew that she had to risk it with that, but it gained trust, and established that well...maybe she was smarter than she seemed. Unluckily for Pavel, this was working nicely.

"You don't need to worry with me. It is more than consulting makes, yes? I get it, you're worried about trade secrets you worked on, and you sound honest. Come on, let's grab a drink and talk more. I'm rather interested in what you have to say, and make some introductions. Dave Harris there, Director of Materials Science there would love to..." He started, Skye putting her hand up, shaking her head knowing this had to be contained- the guy across the other side of the bar couldn't join. Not for their chat.

"Oh no, that's ok. Look....if it's alright, I don't want anyone to know. I'd prefer if we could talk about it in private. " Skye added, pulling out a document from her handbag, sliding it in front. This was a bad time to realise it, but she'd....borrowed? Borrow, yes, borrowed, one of Freya's documents. And it looked like one of the composites that Freya had gotten from Vale, albeit modified, in a way that no doubt, would raise some eyebrows. A glance from Pavel confirmed it was the real deal, well, passing enough to look like something confidential.

"Interesting. Why pick this party, Skye? You could have just gone to Dave if you were looking for work, and look, he knows..." She had him now. Hook was in, line....now...

"Because any other way gets me sued to oblivion by her. And this got me in. I know what Freya does to people too......so could we grab a quiet spot downstairs instead? I'm not sure how else this works, without the two of you killing each other, and she is over there, your security looks like they've got a handle on her. It's not something I can do easy. Then we can get the contract drawn up with lawyers tomorrow morning, and get back to this party." Skye astutely responded, knowing this was tapping into all of it. She was making it clear she wasn't stupid- no, she got this full well, right when it mattered.

The history with Freya, and the others. In a way that suggested she knew the rumours, and yet was on Pavel's side, with a goldmine of something he wouldn't be able to turn down. That and for him, it was a spot of revenge. Skye knew how to get inside people's heads, and very expertly, knew she could make Pavel see things in a particular way. No matter how clever he was, no doubt he'd made his own hole and right now, Skye was giving him the option to be clever about it. That, and well, her charm had burnt through the remainder of his defence, leaving him fixed on her, and wanting only that time. She knew what she was doing, Skye very much aware while she wasn't some casanova, she was honeypotting him quite well.

"You have my interest. Fine. You don't mind if Alexei comes with me?" Pavel suggested, looking over his shoulder, the bald-headed guard coming through.

"Sure." Skye replied, letting it sink in.

Ahh fuck. He may not have been as big as the giant Freya was currently holding up, but he was at least 6"8, and an absolute beefcake. There was no way in hell that the pepper spray would work on him. The sleeping agent would basically be like trying to use it on a bear, and the acid, maybe that would hurt a little. Which left the other tools. And putting them together. Finding a way to do that would be tricky, but it would get her the seclusion she needed.

With that, the three broke from the crowd, and heading down to another set of stairs, headed down, into the offices. Where they were going, Skye wasn't too sure, but she made sure Freya had seen them going, as well as Xan. They were headed down to a meeting room from the mumbling Skye heard Pavel call to Alexei, and the Scot only hoped they weren't going to get into the way of the others.

The Conflict

"Noted, but from what I remember, these savages don't really take a PID the usual way." Sean called back to Yekatarina, the Russian's disgust met with only a wall of of apathy, as he looked across to Bethan, following Hayden in. Not that Hayden was in a good way. Even Sean had to admit, he felt like he was in his own deep end, but the Canuck was in deeper.

The noise of the hostages yelped out as they headed through the insides, and Beth was pulled to it, just the same as their half-appoitned leader. She ran over, the ex-Marine holding her worry the same as Hayden, for a moment seeing the skeleton-thin like hostages in cages, in shock at the sight of it but trying not to let it take hold of her. All she could do was do something, not talk in shock, whatever Kat, Sean, or Hayden had to say.

They looked awful- starved and certainly held as a pawn against whoever their respective governments were. This was an awful place to be stranded, and no doubt, she could feel the pain they felt, given their situation earlier. Doing something felt natural, to Beth at least, as Sean looked on at the scene, watching as she took a prybar from the floor to try and pull off a lock, yelling as she pulled the chain out, opening it and freeing another cage.

The scene escalated quickly, as the sound of SUVs crowded into the compound- whatever hell they'd started, the reinforcements had arrived.

"Fuck. We have company. Hayden, Kat, we need to go, now! Put the hostages between us and them, fuck this!" Sean yelled, his voice barking, not interested in the captives and certainly not interested in staying here. They had to make a move, and Sean was ready by the door, steady to make a move quickly whilst keeping an eye out on the approaching cars, far enough for them to get going.
"If we have the time, chances are, they're more likely dead with us....shite." Beth muttered out loud, looking at Kat, trusting her call on this one, yet fully aware of the circumstances.
"No time for that, these goons look geared, it's fire or run, make your call!" Sean yelled back at all of them, raising his FAL, steadying it at the vehicles coming in, ready to cover fire and make sure the team could bolt, or at the least, steady himself to do so if they fucked around anymore. He wasn't dying here over some poor hostages. They got their job done. They needed to go, and now.

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Kaitiaki HQ, New Zealand

Skye Rosalind Lyons

The Briefing

With a click of the slide, the presentation started, Skye knowing it was a little bit of an exposition at this point, but it was time to go from the top, one more time, over how they were hitting this place.

"Okay, so we know the score."

"Here's the plan. All of us, bar Xan are up top with invites. We arrive separately, and keep a low profile, apart from me and Freya. Recommend you use your alternate names throughout, first names can stay if you haven't been too naughty. Xan, just for the Uzbek whiskey, I got you onto a catering detail...because I need someone behind a bar to help us lubricate the social situation." The slide clicked, as Skye turned to the team, the blue hue of the AR display lighting her up as well, framing her freckled and worn features.

"Here's the plan. All of us, bar Xan are up top with invites. We arrive separately, and keep a low profile, apart from me and Freya. Recommend you use your alternate names throughout, first names can stay if you haven't been too naughty. Xan, just for the Uzbek whiskey, I got you onto a catering detail...because I need someone behind a bar to help us lubricate the social situation."

"Once we get through, Sam, Xan, Michelle, I need you downstairs to start work on the server farms, and Pavel's PC. I want whatever intel you can get off it- likely it'll be encrypted so you won't know what it is straight away, but get what you can and don't raise any alarms. Be incredibly careful- intel from Mateo and Raph suggests they've got guard details, motion cameras and all sorts of tech that will hamper you, so take it steady, drop guards lethal or non-lethal, and don't get caught. We get compromised, the op goes under. I'll get my time with Pavel, and we can learn what we might be up against. Because believe me, we still have plenty to learn."

"Plans came through from Raph and Mateo, so cheers for that. It is a 70 storey skyscraper, right in central Singapore - there's an office below the top two decks, which are a bar and a company breakout room. Guy is running his place like Google, but with the frat parties that come with it. Expect a lot of high life, and . The office is on the storeys below- lot of high modernist infrastructure, and open offices, mixed in with a few technical server rooms and compartments. Filled with halide gas if there's any fire too, and expected to be incredibly secure. So not something you can hit so easy. If you even trip anything, they're gonna gas you out- so be ready with respirators once you're infiltrating. If that happens, there will be an alarm and a lockdown, so moment you trip it, we're all gonna be evacuating. That might work for me, come to think of it, but hold until I'm near him."

"Extraction is back the way we came, via the lift. In an emergency, there's a trailer parked on the adjacent street with an airbag inside it. It's a rough landing, but a fast way down if you have to get out. Sam, Michelle, I believe you've got wingsuits to use for your way out. Make a scene if you have to, but those things will get you out of there quick if you need it."

"Everyone clear?" Skye rounded the presentation out, the AR screens giving a highlight of the setup, the tower, and entry points. The team had plenty to digest, and it was certainly a lot more to take in. The rest of the team had a chance to show off their bits too, as part of the briefing- tools, equipment or sub-routes they were taking.

---

Tsai Wen Tower, Singapore

Behind the Vale

2000 Hours, Two Weeks Later

The night sky was lit up with the skyscrapers, so numerous that they were almost alike the stars in the sky if you squinted, such were city lights that seemed to trance and weave through on the small south-east Asian island port among the background of Singapore's metallic "trees" and Marina Bay Sands.

Singapore was a city of money, and while it wasn't Dubai, there was this underlying feeling of banks, money and just everything being clean beyond measure like it was some sort of sterilisation chamber. It was a place for Vale Systems to base one of their many offices, and the party was quite the event, attracting many from near and far. They didn't own the whole building, but a serious part of it belonged to them, and it was their own.

And in the midst of it on the tower that stood among the urban high rise jungle, the lift doors opened. Out into the open, the hubub could be seen, the high life and classical piano music playing, yet this was no pleasure- this was only business for Raven Squad.

In it stood Freya and Skye, the red dress wearing bodyguard wearing a fetching pair of black tight gloves to complement her dashing red and black dress, her red hair tied into a simple bun and the Scot almost a mirror image to the larger girl next to her. A little makeup to hide her freckles and some jewelery too, all of which had sleekly got through security- containing comms, and a few other gadgets.

It was almost comical, the way Skye walked in front of Freya, like a miniature almost, a sideshow to the large and far more famous redhead. But they were here now, and only had security to go through. A concierge check, manned by two men, one of whom brashly spotted the pair like the least-incognito couple they were. A standard check, given well, even despite the metal detectors downstairs, this was the last point at which any interlopers could get in.

"Hey, welcome to the party. IDs and invites, please." One of the men asked, as Skye reluctantly showed hers, the guard looking down at Freya's, then at Skye's, the invites and paperwork all in order, as it should be. This was an ultra-exclusive event after all, and well, security was tight. It felt like it, the sunglasses wearing, sharp-dressed American accented guard looking down at Skye, taller than her yet towered over by Freya nonetheless. The invites were of note- the guard noting that they had a warning to look out for Freya's guest, given what had happened last time.

"Miss....Caldwell? Interesting. Hmm.....may I have a word? In private?"

"What's wrong, the dress too revealing? Oh please, you're not the first one to hit on me. We don't need any distractions." Skye seemed arrogant, but well, in this society, you acted your part. Confident, arrogant, asshole. Like the man on the other side.

"No, it's a security check. I need you to come with me. Alone."

"I don't leave my client. I'm here to guard her, after all. Don't take me as stupid, my client is important and needs to go through, so do I."
Skye barbed back, knowing it was out of turn now, but this was, frankly, bullshit.

"She can come with us then. If she can't defend herself, that is."

"Sure. Sorry, Freya. My paperwork is in order...I'm sure it won't take more than a minute." Skye feined an apology to keep cover, as they walked over, Skye this time around joined by Freya- it was rather a sight to see but the guard carried on, not backing down. He couldn't here, and was in control of the situation. So much so he told the other guard to stay, he could handle this. He was armed, they weren't, and they weren't stupid. So he thought.

Following, Skye would have been easily able to be worried they were off to a dark room and compromised. But in some fucked up way, oh, this was perfect.

-----------------

A Caged Bird

Sitting down in the dark windowed room after heading downstairs from the roof suite into the office and as part of a wider security network, Skye looked across the table, as the security man took a seat, eyeing her up, pistol at side after leading past a couple of other guards. The security room was a bad start to the evening, but things were what they were. It helped knowing the layout, and some of the guard detail. Like the man who had told them to sit looking across.

"So, I did my work into who was attending. And your name, it doesn't come up. See, I know everyone in the VIP protection game. Everyone."

"You're a ghost, Skye Caldwell. Question is, why are you protecting Freya Kantaario? What, you think she needs it? Do you even understand what kind of a social event this is? And what she did to Pavel? There aren't plus ones here. This isn't a bring your friends gathering. Your client may be lucky enough to get an invite, but she knows, this isn't how it works. A guard for her isn't on the cards. This is a chance for her to be civil. And the invite is a courtesy, so after happened to just pretend it's all fine to have anyone here ain't gonna work for my boss. So what the fuck are you doing here, pretty girl? Here to cause another incident? Some tagalong? The man coolly said, his anger palpable in the soundproof office.

The mistake he'd made was already becoming a bit evident by the second, Skye putting her sheepish face on, and lying through her absolute teeth.

"Well....I'm doing my job, because my client wants me here? Check my paperwork."
Skye looked over her shoulder at the towering hulk, and could only smirk. Oh, Freya could do something. But she knew Skye well enough. Well enough to know this was Skye's game, it was the look in her eyes. Play dumb, and play him out to see what happened next.

"Really. I highly doubt that you are, because finding reference for you, hell, even CCTV footage is hard. Anyway, I think you ain't got shit to protect. Pavel wants no trouble. You look like it, because this don't add up. And I'll offend the great Freya Kaantario to do so, because my client comes first." The man laid his pistol on the desk, a nicely ornimental RSh-12 revolver, and the size of the fucking thing said it all- his mannerisms, his brashness, his sigh as he looked into Skye's eyes, knowing he had her on the ropes. Or so he thought, because well, Skye was leaning into this exactly like she wanted. The way only she could.

"I bet Freya hasn't realised she's hired a ghost. Tried to walk in here, thinking we don't care about last time. And given the man I look after wants no trouble....this stinks."

"Och...uhhh, yeah, you're right!" Skye responded straight, as the man bolted upright.

"What?" It was too good from him because he was leaning in, and the fire that burned just burned in all the wrong places.

With that, Skye launched quicker than he could react forwards and towards the revolver, throwing her left arm at his windpipe and right onto the sidearm, using him as weight she went hurling herself over the table and yanking him down, grinning as they both carted onto the floor. He tried to push back, but there was no stopping a surprise, as she jabbed hard into his lungs, quickly neutralising him as he tried to throw her back off him.

Skye was exactly where she wanted to be. Right on top with her legs pinning his gut, and with a hard swipe at his throat to hit his windpipe, he wasn't going anywhere, Skye keeping her gloved hand tight against his neck, able to push a little harder and end it all here and now. Maybe she didn't have his strength. But she had something more, and that was an experience of dealing with bigger bastards than him. It was no short reminder that Skye wasn't some princess, she was fierce, and hiding it rather well up until that moment.

"Make a move and play hero, it doesn't end well for you......oh, Jim Wickers, Ex-FBI, strong ex- in fact. You're pretty good as his Senior Security Liason....so far, ey?" Skye started, taking control of this situation, knowing that right now, any dumb looks were gone.

"What that means is I can really embarrass you to your boss. I'll find him and tell him Freya right there is coming to beat his 'wee heed into a fucking pulp. Your worst fear. And you know, she just might. Or maybe she won't and she'll grab a vodka and leave. She is really elusive like that. You're a smart cookie. Problem is, your little warning didn't figure me out all the way." Skye chuckled as her resolve tightened, looking dead into his eyes, revolver pushed aside, the man choking out as he sprawled, frankly embarrassed by what Skye had gone and done. It was a classic move, but they never saw it coming.

Nobody ever did.

"And you'll do nothing but watch on those cameras on that wall no matter what. You think that works as a successful evening?" Skye retorted to him, very, very much aware that he was no doubt in shock, and the fact he was barely conscious added to it. Skye's physique didn't scream what Freya's did- sure it was beaten but it looked more like a runner's, more than someone capable of the damage she was.

"Don't worry. If I was here to kill him, he'd already be dead. I'm just not interested in security staff causing me hassle tonight. So, I'll going to tell you to reconsider before I think about moving onto you. Understood?"

"Shit.....ok, ok. You realise I ain't it, huh? You think you can just waltz in? I ain't telling you shit, anyways, you're both fucking dead if you try and get out....fuck you! His whimpered yell was something, as he knew there were no good options, and well, he had reason for that given the position he was now in. Play it long, and wait this out.

Skye chuckled in response, looking to Freya, looking him dead in the eyes, Jim choking as Skye pushed down on his throat again, pushing hard as he tried to recoil, then easing up, putting his head straight against his.

"Shhh.....you hear that? Nah, me neither. That's because you took us into a soundproof room. Thank you for that. And nobody is coming for you in the next twenty. Remember, you got it wrong...I'm protecting you from her, not vice versa. If we did it her way, she'd be scalping you alive. I've seen her bench a fucking jeep, not even glue would put you back together if she did. And that would be far better than the entertainment up there." Skye gently sat by his side, putting her hand to his throat, aware she could push on his damaged windpipe and just make it hurt so, so much more once again.

"Whatever he's paying you, your ex-wife and two kids are worth a bit more than what might happen next. Oh yeah, the ones you didn't tell Pavel about so you could get his clearance. I know, which I guess makes me more important than your client right now. So do tell me something, Jim, because it'll save you a lot of hassle. Where's Pavel, and how many guards are around him? Lie, and Freya here, she comes back and opens you like a tin of sardines."
His face changed quickly, that very second, because the threats went from violence, enough to get most, to something else altogether.

It was a situation he had no energy to react to, but then again, he had no reason to doubt it. You did Carrot, and you did Stick. Sometimes, you did both at the same time. Same place. And when you got your hands dirty in this game, you did bad things. Nothing bad would come to his family of course given Skye had no idea where they were, but she'd made sure to keep it in mind as a weak point from her reading of the security detail they did know about. His weak point wasn't his strength or ability, it was in blood. Sometimes, social engineering worked a hell of a lot more than violence. Right now, that approach was about to pay dividends.

"You piece of shit...don't do shit to them, y'all hear?"

"Temper, temper. Nothing is going to happen to them. Just start talking and you'll stay employed, and if you're lucky, might even get a pay raise. Try and focus on positives, Jim, and you might live. Talk to me." Skye's voice was back to reassurance, backed by almost that same spirit that made her the team mum, yet somehow, inexplicably, underlined with threat.

"Alright...they're on the top floor. He's got more guards, ten more. You ain't got a hope in hell. He's got a giant in the team after last time with Freya. Big dude. Like I said, big mistake. You won't stand a chance, whatever you're doing. You fucking do anything, I'll kill you....you can rot in hell!" Skye looked to Freya, then back at him as he tried to yell, Skye throwing her hand against his mouth, his other one against his throat.

"That's better. But a bit rich coming from you. You really are such a lucky boy for someone who treats a so called, 'pretty girl' so poorly. I thought we really could have something, might even let you stay awake but you really are foul. Please do me a favour and don't remember my face. I'll try and forget yours pretty quick." Skye grimaced as she peeled back off him, as she drew her handbag from across the room from off the table, and flipping the perfume bottle, rammed the top of it straight into his nose, spraying a full, if not over-dose of the sleeping agent, the fast-acting tool taking the dazed guard out, as Skye looked almost deflated. She expected more.

"That was eventful. Bloody awful, even. Is my makeup still ok? Because we have this guy to move, and not gonna lie, he is fatter than the file said he would be. He's like fucking Steven Seagal." She asked, knowing the disapproval would be on Freya's face, yet in some ways, she'd be entertained. Skye didn't like parties a lot, so this must have made for a little bit of change.

Skye was that kind of character- she had learned how to be a spy and be a ghost, a spectre and an asset that blended in, turned into something else, someone else when she had to be. But beneath that, she never forgot she was capable of these things. Capable of doing what was needed to get it over the line, and beyond guns and firepower, she had learned how to use their ability against them. Right now, that was what had done it- and while it didn't always go smoothly, this one had to- otherwise, their operation was compromised. Skye would have been held for longer and if more security joined, they'd be shit out of luck. Then there was no talk, and no chance of finding out what they needed. No server farm check, and that was that.

After hiding Jim's knocked out body in a nearby cupboard, out cold for at least the next half an hour, Skye had the chance to get the rest of her equipment set up, instead of in some toilet probably full of old coke lines on the toilet seat. And enough to spy an IP address, on a CCTV system, among a few other things. By being in a secure room, Skye knew they were off camera. It was almost as if gambling on his confidence had payed dividends. She adjusted the frequency on her phone, linked to her ear-ring, a beautiful pearl piece that concealed a mic and earpiece that gave nothing away beyond its user- to activate the mic all she had to do was push on a signet ring on her hand, and it felt as fluent as anything, while the earpiece used a oscillatory segment in her piercing to allow her to silently listen to the team, and so far, it was coming through crystal.

"Team, me and Valkyrie are in. Security is tight here, but we dropped one. Gave us a goldmine though, we got into a security booth. Glitch, Chaos, I'm pinging you an IP address for CCTV and their admin server network. Careful around it because likely it's protected. Everyone, get to work, get to know some faces, and do our jobs. You know the score. Infiltrators, when ready, make your way down and get your gear recovered." Skye's tone was authoritative, sometimes harsh but in this environment, it had to be. Plus, she'd only gone and knocked out a guy at the party when she tried to be more incognito than raiding a beached cargo ship.

Within five minutes.

With that last communication through her earpiece built into her earring, Skye and Freya emerged back out of the small booth and out of the mostly quiet security complex without further hastle, heading through the corridors and back up the stairs out of the top floor of the offices onto the veranda, the skyline once again visible as the party raged on, suits and dresses everywhere, eyes beckoning on Freya, and less so on Skye, who strutted her stuff with confidence. No more bullshit, as they were on the other side of the fence, and well, the other guards hadn't seen them. They were unlikely to get any more attention, until they realised that Jim had gone for too long of a break, and by that point, things might get spicy.

They knew where he was. They knew what to do. And Skye, Freya and the team going into the party had that to enjoy. The Scot craned her head up to the giantess by her side, knowing she had thoughts on her mind after that, and no doubt, plenty of thoughts of what the update on security meant for them.
"Keep an eye on that giant. Try not to fuck him either, because when he sees you he's gonna be like Casanova. But if you can keep him away, that helps me plenty. We are gonna need to play it cool around Pavel, and our guy on the inside of the bar staff isn't fucking up my drinks order this time either...."
Skye wryly commented to Freya, knowing that the situation was gonna escalate with one of them around- but having Xan on the inside, well, that could change things quickly...

In the interim, the rest of the team were no doubt making their way in, to significantly and likely less drama than they were. It would be a bit of time to get into the party and get used to it, but they had a crowd to mingle with on the upmarket cocktail-bar, come wine-bar, come rooftop piano session that was a high society party at a tech firm.

The Conflict

Nice! Sorry for the delay my end- feeling a little creatively quiet at the moment. Will get a post out hopefully tomorrow :)

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Kaitiaki HQ, New Zealand

Skye Rosalind Lyons

The Office Party

The team gathered in, Skye knew it was good to have everyone back in somewhat of one piece, and that with a little time till their next mission, they could rest up and recuperate before getting after it. That included Michelle, her first mission in Raven going so far so well, Skye aware of the capable infiltrator taking on a different role shadowing her in Aralsk.

@Wayward

"Good to have you back, Michelle. Held your own on that op. I know it's not easy being thrown into the deep end straight away, but you kept it together." Skye called to her, knowing she was no doubt a little shell shocked from the experience, but considering she'd followed well on Skye's lead, it had to be said, she'd done well.

@LadyAmber@BigPapaBelial

Skye kept a mind out to Sam's response, giggling a little as Freya was then on the phone, chatting to her team. And clearly having a fun time doing it. Skye didn't people watch, that was a professional thing after all, but even personally right now....she had to admit, Imran was right. Giants were a freaky kind. But there was no denying it, the girl that smashed IFVs was also hot in a Gladiators pinned up on her bedroom wall kind of way. As she put the phone down, it was like Skye replied to both Freya and Sam in the same breath, smirking.
"Remind me to never ask how your company does HR complaints."
The Scot chuckled, as she sighed, looking across the team, noting Mateo's comment also, the Colombian silent throughout and then having his own note.

@Theyra
"Sounds like a plan. Let me know how you want to play it. If you want your infiltrator's kit on the other side, Sam and Xan will join you in that. Raph might have some stuff on that front for you in terms of plans."
Skye mentioned, knowing his more laid back, chilled style would take that rather than the beef she had to throw back at the other redhead, and the team leader's thought that she had spent a little too much time here with the team as is. On that note, Skye knew that the evening had to either wind up...or wind on.

"Right...enough misery for us. I've got some Swedish vodka sitting in that fridge. And for a certain someone...I got something even more lethal." Skye added, giggling, going to the fridge and drawing first a bespoke bottle of vodka, followed by a mystical looking bottle of a green looking absinthe, the kind that was not for mere mortals like Skye and the rest of the relatively functioning alcoholics. Oh no, this one, this was for the kind of girl that would need a few bottles to feel. This would make her feel much faster than that.

"One for you, Miss Kaantario?"
The wry grin on the redhead's face went up as she popped the green bottle onto the table and looked directly at Freya, and for the briefest of seconds, the look in Skye's eyes was not of a boss anymore, but of someone wanting to indulge in a bit of team bonding.

---

A Significant Quantity of Alcohol Later

"So I says to the guy, size of Valkyrie, yeah, right....fuckin'....yous having a laugh? This is what you keep in your bedroom after I sneak into your little compound full of Ruskies, to keep you occupied? Anyway, I caved his head in with his ten-inch rubber dildo, guy thought he had me on the ropes, but you see, he was thinking with his 'wee fuckin' baws!" With that, Skye slugged the vodka shot down, giggling away, the redhead now well and truly gurning away, utterly lost for a second, because to get her this far, the bottle had been cleaned out with everyone else. Skye had lost any formal demeanour, at this point, what was left was a feral special forces soldier, that happened to be Scottish, and rambling.

"Anyway, that's the reason I don't like Uzbekistan, and how I ended up blue balling some Russian giant with his own instrument, aye! Because it's a shithole, it's sandy, and that wee fuckin' fella! In that order!"

It's pretty obvious to everyone there that while she isn't going to let anything operational slip, she is in that drunk storyteller mode, and right now, it's the most pissed she's been in a while.

So much so, that even narratively, the writing style here is even deviating.

An obliterated Scot is a terrifying thing, because someone of Skye's capacity doesn't let it happen, almost ever. Aside from today, because after all, they had gone out and barely avoided getting killed, and well, the team were just gelling so well. No immediate mission either, or at least, one they could just about recover on the hangover from tomorrow morning, Skye's corner of lucidity reminds her. Irrespective of whatever state the team had decided to go to, this night had clearly escalated heavily, and in a way that definitely wouldn't be sanctioned in any other special forces or intelligence team.

A good old fashioned piss up never disappointed.

Before then going to stand, and in the most unapologetic way, clattering down in front of the sofa, Skye spills a bit onto the table, with a wry chuckle, before barely clambering up again.

"Ahh shite....you know.....you're a good bunch. Top team of people. And there are things I'd let Freya do to me that's probably illegal. And Mateo too, probably. I dunno. Like this whole workplace policy shite says we can't.....bloody legal crap. I remember when I used to be out in the field, none of that....ah bloody hell. Don't get me wrong, all with consent, but I'm no stranger to any silly ideas." Skye blurted, probably revealing a bit much. The kind that didn't normally come out of Skye, and no doubt, flooring the team a little, as she giggled.
"Anyway, you're all about as pissed as I am. Enjoy tomorrow, eh!"

---

Office Work

Skye did have to think to herself as she worked in the office, if her immune system wasn't as powerful as it was, she'd still be bawling on the floor.

What happened that night, she didn't want to reminisce too much on, but hey, she hadn't done anything TOO silly. Well, the bike ride, catchup with Raph, and other things had flushed most of her regret out of the system, but sometimes, she had to let go. As Xan had said, show her colours a bit more. But then again....that was probably a bit further.

The team were working away in the background on their own kit, with support team, together or on their own, whilst

On that note, Skye took the break from her office to check over her dress, the form-fitting crimson red and black dress matching lovely with her hair, and even more creatively, having a tactical slant to it. Interwoven ceramic plating with silicon carbide disc plating, it seemed almost seamless with the material of it, and no doubt, the other members of the team would for their formal garb. Kept off metal detectors too, and almost felt like padding of some kind. An extravagance, because why not....just as the boys had their stuff, Skye knew she had hers.

The other tools, including a hidden taser, hidden inside a bag, alongside a makeup kit made up of a few hidden tools was always useful to have- some had been brought to her recently by Sam, who had worked on some of these in the background, some were old traits. The classic knife in stiletto was on again, and a perfect little after-dinner tool to use. Not a bad little contingent, and all importantly, flight safe and metal detector safe.

Running through the rest, she checked over the office layout, and taking her time, looked at entry points, more details to do with the party, and got to pondering. There was a plan afoot, but as far as she could tell, they could take this on. She'd get her audience with Pavel, and the others would have a variety of tasks. Freya and Stafford on running distraction, with whatever detail they came into- that they didn't know much on, whilst Sam, Xan, Mateo, Michelle had the task of getting into the party through their method, retrieving their kit and infiltrating downstairs, getting onto Pavel's network, the company network and finding out what they could. That was uncertain, but they had some detective work to do, and no doubt, as the mission went on, Skye could fill in the blanks from what she got from social engineering with Pavel and co.

The skyscraper definitely had methods in and out- vertical enough for a BASE or wingsuit flight out, and also, for another secret contingency if the team needed it. The office below was on two levels, and relatively vast- including Pavel's own network, which would need handling. An elevator also would be in operation but no doubt it was secured, and getting around the skyscraper would be tricky. But no doubt, with the right tools, it could be turned inside out. They had plenty of methods, and while Skye could monitor them, it would be tricky to do so, even on her phone while in the party. It being a social event and all.

A standard social occasion for Raven, and Skye had no doubt that more booze would be on the cards. For them, not her, thankfully....

---

A Prelude

With the team making their prep, the evening came about fairly quickly - they'd been able to get some leads, and some chats to Raph later, Skye had some idea of what to do.

With that, Skye called a team meeting- they had their opportunity to catch up and with that, they were all in the same briefing room, comfy chairs laid out and Skye at the front, dressed in her blue shirt and khaki trousers again, red hair tied into a bun, her rosy cheeks and adamant look once again back to business.

"Alright everyone. What have you got for me? All recovered?"
Skye asked, looking across the team, knowing that so far they all had a method in, or at least, a method to make their way to the party. And hopefully out.

"Because now's your last chance for any questions. In terms of operational setup, I've identified some objectives. But details are scarce right now. Pavel is the main objective, but I need a possible server connected to the company network, and Pavel's own looked at. Which is going to be guarded, by both electronic and physical means. Anything to add?"

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Kaitiaki HQ, New Zealand

Skye Rosalind Lyons

Dinner is Served

The team raised lots of valid points, their commentary revealing that well, they all certainly had a bone to pick with Pavel too. That was good, Skye thought to herself. Who wouldn't hate on a billionaire frat bro.

@LadyAmber

"That could be something of a lead. Though hopefully it doesn't lead to us having to go to space to dismantle those things...for a starter, I don't think we have a rocketry programme yet!"
Skye chimed back with a little sarcasm, flipping a burger, having a moment to ponder it over, knowing what she knew roughly about the market for such communications. After all, if Pavel was using it for that purpose too, all sorts of shenanigans could be going on, and hacking their comms could be on.

"Though it's a good point. There has to be some kind of ground station, and no doubt there's more intel on that network. It might open the door for us, especially if the data is on one of those satellites and we can get it down to us if we can't visit ourselves."
Skye added, knowing it might be something to circle around to, but in the main, it gave them something to look for on the next operation. Pavel was a vested target, purely as there was possible association to Artemis, but the fact his fingers were on this meant something else had to be going on. Skye wanted answers. And she'd get them, first by asking, then by telling, and only then, maybe by doing something more than that.

@BigPapaBelial

It didn't sound like much fun wither with what Freya was saying. Once again, Skye reminded herself that the giant could probably have done far worse, and in some ways, she hoped for Pavel and his memory's sake...

"Sounds like a method in. And damn....well, he might be rich but he can't be too intelligent if he thought that would end well. Jesus, if your brother found out, he'd be turned into some wee Spam alright." Skye remarked, sarcastically as she knew full well the score of Freya's family- once again, she wasn't the only one that was that tall. And freakishly strong. And have a waistline like she did...Skye couldn't deny, it was quite something.

"Oh, and for dresswear, it's gotta be the former. If they're craning their necks, it's all eyes on you, girl, near, far, wherever you are...keeps you professiona tool and reminds you you're not to be fucked with. Whatever the hell they feed you back home, remind me to try it sometime, Freya!"
Skye remarked, cheerfully than prior, knowing Freya would hopefully take it well, the other redhead of the team making Skye sometimes feel like a mini-me in comparison. Well, with an accent of her own, it made her stick out at least, somewhat?
"Your invite should work. I guess it'll be guarding you, and in some ways, it keeps the attention directed at you. That will come in handy, aye." Freya was certainly going to be of help here- her company and her reputation would make her a glowing target in her suit, but no doubt, that was the point. You didn't hide a giant. You made them front and centre, and in the complete opposite of working in espionage, you put someone like Freya out like a parade float, for all to see. So that well, Skye and the others were in the shadows.

@Awesomoman64

Helping out with the hallumi, Skye responded in turn to Xan, hearing out his story, and his possible approach method.
"And I thought he was just a regular an asshole....sounds rough, Xan. Glad to hear I don't need to give you all more motivation, team."
Skye responsed to Xan, then more generally to the group, as she finished up helping him out, finding a set of plates.
"Sounds like something good, Xander. Keep me informed what you're up for doing."
She retorted back, knowing him and Sam were more likely than not going to be spending plenty of time reassembling their electronics. Having lost it in the buggies, they'd need some bits to work on, and knowing the resourcefulness of Tahlia and their own, they'd be back in no time.

@PerfectThought

Last but not least, the other Brit had stayed quiet, Stafford probably taking his time to absorb the conversation, and the goings on around here. Of course, he'd be back to his usual soon enough, given the injury though, he wasn't probably giving shit today. She almost missed that, almost.
"Possibly. But if not, keep your head on a swivel. I'll appreciate getting a whisky with you there, mate. And you'll get some up close action too."
Skye warmly commented across to him, getting the table set, turning to the team in general now, knowing they'd all be wondering what next.

"Well.....that's no' bad. Eat up, team. We got some healing and work to do. Sounds like a few of us might have invites then. I'll get to work on a more concise extraction method tomorrow. In the meantime, install any of your upgrades, get back onto recovery, start figuring out your method in, out, and what we have on the line. We'll be there soon enough. For now, eat up, because that looks delish!"
Skye called out, for a moment the redhead of the team enjoying this little atmosphere, this evening, and each and every face that was here.

----

Thistle in the Rough
The Next Day

The next day came as a slightly better one for Skye Lyons, given her ribs weren't hurting so much, either from the light use of painkillers, or sheer bloody mindedness. Some did have to ponder if Skye was just some sort of machine, but there wasn't much more to it than the fact she just harnessed, took life by the core. An introspective view was that it made her feel somewhat alive, and by this point, she was so accustomed to it, not doing it felt even weirder.

Skye didn't muck about. Same thing as usual, porridge oats, fruit, cranberry juice, and a shot of a blended smoothie from the kitchen, followed by the early morning briefing, it was a nice little routine to have as the sun barely rose. The kind that sort of gave her a basis, because it was a job after all. A full time one, with no holidays, but a hell of a lot of perks. Like how right now, she was free to act how she needed to. The team were in the same boat, given they were awaiting the date of the party, and had jobs to do in the interim.

And it was the a slightly varied routine for Skye, a different route but still the same. Skye was back out and with the black and orange triathlon suit she had on over her athletic and weathered frame, she looked slick, the mark of efficiency. It may have seemed she embraced some sort of luxury rather than doing this in usual combat conditions, but Skye didn't need that every day. Nah, today was about getting back on the horse. Irrespective of what the doctor's orders were, Skye would allow herself to break that. She may have been a stickler for the rules, but what fun were they if you couldn't break them?

It made running a team hard as hell, that was for sure.

A swim kicked things off, with the dawn chorus of birds chirping and the raging sea giving Skye all she could, drowning her red hair into the salt water, the muscles burning and aching, but coming back into posterity once she'd kicked off the first two hundred meters. A kilometer would do, but against the raging sea, it was like trying to fight Posideon throwing bricks at her shoulders every few seconds once she was outside the reach of the bay and into more open water, swimming to the next. She didn't care. It just made things more entertaining, and after all, she wanted this to be a reminder to her she wasn't going to let the idea of ribs hold her back. The others may have rested up, but she wasn't going to let go.

So coming off the swim, the next step was the bike ride of this little biathlon sans weapons, with a full face crash helmet attached to the carbon-black bars of the parked bicycle. Left back down by the small airfield that the team had on the far side of the bay, her mountain bike was a formidable little tool, carbon-framed and with a rear shock to boot, but still, very human powered and tricky to use on the trails of the island. On the trails around the place, Skye could put it through its paces, not needing engines or electricity to pull the bike up the hundred meter hills that formed the spine of their home, the jungle and fine tracks being a good place. With all the uphill, Skye had to ration the energy she had left, the burn now setting in, her heartrate rushing past 160 from pushing on the slippery, rooty and rocky climb in the foliage, the little hiking trails that shouldn't have taken a bike still being put to use by her. Every part of her body felt like it was on fire, screaming, but the glimpse of orange and black was a blur in the early morning paths. Rubber skidded on dirt, and the sight of Skye pushing through her ribs kicking back was visible and very much audible.

These moments mattered. They reminded her of being alive, and directed her thoughts into something more positive than the dwelling thoughts she always would circle over again sometimes. Showing any weakness to anyone in the team was going to be the end of her- at least, it would be, and sometimes just pushing into that physical endurance was like it made it all fade, like nothing mattered at all, and it pushed her to be more. It was being stubborn, and if being in control that mattered, if not her team then very much her own mind felt good. Kept her able to resist thinking about some of the past. Her mum's state, and her dad's death. A break with the past had worked, but it always felt like she had to run even harder to just put things between her and that. Literally go to the antipode of the world to put that between them, and well, turn inside out. Become some arbiter of good and immerse herself into a stress that completely wiped the past clean out. It felt hard but then again, she had no reason to doubt herself when she pushed.

And Xan was right, when she spoke to him a while back. She had to relax. Let things in. But Skye knew that was going to take losing a part of her she wasn't ready for yet. Maybe the tectonic plates would move, but that was going to take time.

On that thought, Skye stopped at the top of the ridgeline, looking down at the dawn sky, and the Homestead on the horizon. The expansive view, the wind blowing her sodden hair back, the feeling of sweat in every orifice and the near echoing of her heart returning down to a low, thumping rest rate. Her ribs hurt, but not as much as it would to not make the most of this moment, right here, right now. Being alive in it all. Final stretch now.

And it was downhill, a rush that pushed her hard, as Skye whipped the mountain bike through the undulating terrain, catching air over a boulder and leaping the bike through the track, giggling and grinning with pride, the endorphin rush of this not dying yet. Sure, it didn't beat getting shot at, wingsuiting into a North Korean radar site, or all manner of stupid shit she'd done before, but it was something new, and novelty was always fun.

If ever Skye enjoyed moments like these, it was odd to see her be somewhat at ease with herself, completely hooked on that high, and it was clear whatever that high was, it was from being absolutely on that ragged edge. She liked learning new things, and this was her most recent- integrating it into her routine had certainly been paying dividends, and as she made her way to the bottom of the trail, before the team had probably even woken up, she'd gotten her fill. Mountain bike parked in the hallway, she got a morning shower in, and back into her more usual casual clothing, got to work on making the round of work she had ahead. The only thing that came close was skydiving, but given her state and the fact they had work to do, she thought better of that.

---

With her morning madness out of the way, Skye returned inside the intelligence centre down in the support complex, the Israeli signals intelligence operative hunched over his desk, four monitors plus another to his side revealing he was deep in flow, but Skye was having none of his indifference.

"Morning!"
Skye cheerily greeted him, the redhead wearing a crimson red t-shirt, complimenting her red ponytail, as well as her usual cargo pants and trainers, her stance one of warmth yet an underlying air of authority, one that never really left despite how casual she may have come across.

"Someone's been for a run. Against doctor's orders. Tut tut, Skye." Raph sarcastically remarked, the dry Israeli replying, only then breaking from the screen.

"Oh, way more stupid' tha' that. I don't know when to stop. So keep that on the down low, yeah?"

"Well, I'm sure I can keep that secret. All good, chief?"

"Somewhat normal. Have you started to look at what I sent across to you?"
Skye enquired, breaking the chat to another subject quickly, not wanting to fuck around, given she knew Raph wasn't going to keep the smalltalk going without being more awkward.

"It looks positive. Certainly got some options to look at, the party itself looks like a hell of an event. He doesn't come out of his shell often, and while the security is tight, it's not impossible to beat. Plenty of spots you can get him one on one. I assume you have a plan for that."

"Indeed. Then that settles that nicely. Tahlia's got me a taser I can conceal, and a few other goodies. Team'll know what to go for- data, and well, keeping the party going to get me my opportunity. Then we'll have him to chat to."
Skye commented, Raph sitting up in his chair a little and turning completely to her, knowing while it wasn't his place to ask, he had to get it out of his system.

"Why are we going after him, Skye? I thought talking to billionaires wasn't our forte, I thought it was dropping people? Surely we'd find a better way to get this data, just find a datacentre and break into that if you want to stop us getting hacked again? Don't get me wrong, the man is an asshole but this feels unpredictable."

"You know as well as I do, some secrets, they're not on flash memory, they're up here. And they are just....well, they're so much easier to get than a hack." Skye pointed to her temple with that, the redhead smirking, knowing she was winding up Raph, the Israeli a little puzzled still.

"Right....but you do realise, if he doesn't play ball and you get nothing, this is going to backfire, big time...and there's no easy way back from that. Brave as you are, are you sure you're gonna get something?"

"Never was going to be without a little risk. But it's a measured response, the alternatives you know will be too difficult to do remotely, even at a datacentre. We can figure out what happened to us in Aralsk from the horse's mouth, and we take Artemis apart...because it's a hydra after all, with lots of heads. Killing him isn't going to help us. It's getting the root, and it's not his money I want....it's their network. Once he gives me what he needs, he'll be compromised enough, and we can set him loose and see where the trail goes because he'll be impossible to hide afterwards. We can see what happens. Let them run riot. Then stamp on the lot."

"That's some social engineering you got going there?

"I do try my best." Skye was steely, before cracking a grin, just knowing she could really get at their intel guy, and well, relish in that.

"Fucking hell....you got intense quickly. Like, that's so evil....shit, normally I would have thought of that first...."

"Like I said....there's lots of ways to get a job done. This happens to be the best one right now...and for a man who has an image to protect, it would rather be a shame if he couldn't return to his party without....oh, I don't know, something happening to that very thing."

"What do you mean?

"Oh, they're just details, I'll let your Mossad brain think on what I said. I don't muck around."

"Skye...."

"Thank me when I get you an insight into why our supposedly invincible network got hit. Anyway, I'll leave you with finding us some more intel, and some low-level backdoors to get Xan, Sam and the hackers over the line. Enjoy."
Skye added, a wry smirk on her face, giving absolutely zero away. Need to know basis, and all that....and the satisfaction was going to be all hers.

------------

With a return out of the intel hub, Skye knew the team were at leisure- well, the sort of leisure that wouldn't mean it was all downtime. They had options- Raph was in his hub doing his thing, Javi was down in the motor pool with a new couple of buggies that had been brought in, Tahlia was in the armoury and well, Doctor Keller was probably having some rest after the insanity that had been the last couple of days of people coming in various states of repair. Checking weapons and gear, recovering their past equipment, even some more activities together were on the cards, so she left it open to them, knowing this was a brief interlude before they'd have a plan and be back out on things to come.

It was as good as any opportunity for Skye to let them enjoy time without her being on top of them, let the team settle themselves in. For the time being, she had some work of her own to do in the office once again, and this time, figure out an extraction plan. Best case? They walked out of there, no skin off back. But if there was hacking taking place below, then Sam and Xan were going to need a fast track way out of there. And in an emergency? Well, Skye was working on that method...and really hoped it didn't come to that. Door left open, Skye clicked on some music, and the soft sound of James Blake keeping her ears company.

Burning Rubber Three (Bee and kingkonrad)

Max sat back, looking into the horizon, then back at the reply in front of him.

"That'd be good. Cheers!" Max typed back, putting in his address, sending it across with a satisfying ping of his phone. Shit, that had worked....well, it was someone to call a friend. Well, beyond the other one, as his phone buzzed...

Standing up, the phone rang, this time with the nametag coming up.

"Hey, Max, you alright?" The Faroese voice on the far side reminded him that yep, that one still was in the game- still relevant somewhat.

"Yeah, been worse." Max's response was blunt, but as British as ever...an understatement.

"Look, thank you for coming out a few nights back. Appreciate seeing you around here. From what I heard, you seemed to adapt well to the local conditions." Magnus's voice was reassuring to hear, but Max wasn't feeling that way, a little deflated from it all- it was a lot to take in, the heat, the environment, all of it.

"Kind of. Keeping it low-brow at the minute. Yous know how it goes." Max replied, sighing as he knew that well, there wasn't going to be much racing. For a little while, at least- he could run his gamble out but right now, shit had gone feral after that street race. Views were mad, and people were going off, but it was far more heat than he was used to, even back home.

"Look, if the car's hot, I might be able to fix you up with something local. And some more work. You know, I'm just a respectable businessman. But I might have something your flavour, if you know what I mean?" Magnus's suggestion piqued Max, as he sat back down again into the beanbag across the room, looking out the window, then back in. The Faroese voice was certainly warped by the West Coast, and that American twang was coming straight into his language.

"Oh, you mean something....right, I'm with you. I'm interested." Max realised the code right there. It wasn't a race. It was something else. Probably not a drugs run either...because that wouldn't be what was on the cards.
"We can talk cars later. You free tonight?"
"Yeah, I can do that."
"Alright, we'll sort you a ride, then. Take it steady, brother."
"You too." Max cut the phone, as he stared at the wall.

Shit was going to possibly get real tonight, but Kaitlyn would be good to meet, good to keep him grounded. Then whatever worked was planned out, well, he just hoped it wasn't anything too heavy.

Things never worked out quite that way.

(Really sorry this took ages!)

Raven Squad: Second Storm (Military/Spy-Fi RP)

Massive post there- wanted to really tease some exposition in the way of two characters I haven't really had the chance to indulge in. Setting wise, there's also a little exposition to give- I'd like to say that in terms of the world around Raven, the idea of "ten to twenty-ish" years from now is what I would suggest, but I'm actually keeping that wide open purely as it's intentionally vague so begins to hint and lean on bits of that, which will be exciting to write.

If the team have bits they want to shape on the op, feel free to do so- this is the first one which I would say is actually really non-combat like, and has a really cool opportunity to give the team something different than historically they have been up to (with definitely scope for infiltrating). The only main-line I would say is getting Skye to Pavel- beyond that, how it is done and how everything else works is completely up to you, so the team has free input and ways to get in. Want to be a waiter at the party? Sure? Want to join Skye? Absolutely!