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[Spycraft/S9] Sleight-of-Hand

Day 1. Aulensburg, Central European Sector, European Alliance.

Diamonds. Designer fashion. And dilettantes. Sarah and X-cel are surrounded by expensive jewelry, haute couture and a cross section of European Alliance's high society. Celebrities, diplomats, industrialists and even a few well-dressed, yet poorly disguised gangsters rub shoulders with one another, cajoling, flirting and wheel-and-dealing. Many of the guests are inured to their lavish surroundings, the marble floors painstakingly polished to a mirror-like luster, plush, elegant furniture, gilded mirrors, luminous chandeliers and fine accessories. Scores of conversations fill the room with a dull roar and the smell of money is in the air.

The gala is hosted by Arthur Gurov, a Petrovin expatriate and one of the European Alliance's wealthiest and most influential film moguls. After raking in huge sums at the box office, Gurov purchased a sprawling mansion in the heart of the historic city of Aulensburg. Ever eager to show-off his wealth and his newest prize, Gurov wasted no time in inviting the Alliance's haute monde to his new home.

A source has revealed that an enemy operative is on the guest list. Or rather the agent is providing private security for a VIP attending the gala.

Seizing the opportunity to strike back at an enemy of the Republic, Section 9 chose to act quickly and decisively.

Late this afternoon, X-Cel and the deadly beauty known as to the public as Sarah Greenwood were summoned to a well-known brokerage firm that served as a DCIS front company. Deep in the bowels of the Brechenmyer-Tsang corporate offices, the two Section 9 agents were given their objectives:

* Attend the gala. Between the briefing and the gala, Section 9 was able to cobble together a suitable cover identity and/or disguises for each agent. Sarah and X-Cel were given enough latitude in choosing their approach and their cover identities.
* Copy the data from the enemy agent's mobile phone SIMM card using a PDA-sized gadget provided by Section 9. Naturally, this objective must be achieved without the making the target aware that his mobile phone is missing.
* Find a way to trace the enemy agent and his cohorts back to their local safe house.

That enemy agent is Simon Riese, a dangerous operative and his presence always introduces an unstable element in any DCIS area of operation. He has flitted on and off Section 9's radar for several years. Riese has spoiled several key operations by running interference on behalf of rival agencies. This dark Midas is responsible for neutralizing moles, countless informants and the deaths and disappearances of nearly half-a-dozen Section 9 operatives. Potential strategic victories have turned sour; no thanks to Riese’s withering touch.

Among the 11 missing or dead Section 9 agents were field team recently deployed to Hadrapur. The operatives were tasked with investigating reports that a criminal gang called the Golden Tigers was using super-soldier type drugs. During the briefing earlier this afternoon, X-Cel's and Sarah's Control Officer also included a field report on the Hadrapur mission.

npc-riese.jpg



X-Cel recognized the face on the viewscreen; it is the face of the man known to X-Cel as "Larkin".

((EDIT: Updated the URL for Riese's pic))
 
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Hurricain

First Post
Before we went in to the gala. X-cel speaks to Sarah about their mission.

" Well , I have the echo tracers which we might be able to plant on Simon. We need to get his cell phone so how do you think we should go about doing that? I was thinking , that you could pick pocket his cell phone , copy the data from his phone , slip it back to him and place the tracer on him. Piece of cake." X-cel smiles , "Plus your an attractive woman , you should be able to distract him enough and I will be there to back you up , or something like that. What do you think?"
 

Hammerhead

Explorer
Sarah Greenwood examines her fake ID and background while running the details of the mission through her head. Just who was this Simon Riese guarding? That was important information to find out, as was Riese's cell phone number. Already, a plan was forming in her mind.

"Excel. What a funny codename. That's a spreadsheet program, you know," Sarah comments, a smile on her lips. It wouldn't be a bad codename for her either, given both Sarah's desire to succeed that pushed her throughout her life, and even allowed her to carry on despite the murder of her parents, as well as Sarah's accounting background before joining DCIS.

"I'm afraid that old chestnut wouldn't work. Riese is a trained agent, and a simple seduction/distraction technique would immediately put him on guard. I'd like to find the name and occupation of his employer first."

Sarah then adjusts her conservative business dress and slips her ID, cell, business cards, and other accoutrements of a high-powered financier into her purse.
 

Riese is "babysitting" one of Europe's new silver screen starlets, Elissa Riccio.

npc-elissa.jpg


She is the adopted daughter of Portezzan director, Rudolfo D'Urbano. Elissa, or rather Elise as she has been calling herself lately, had a falling out with D'Urbano 2 years ago. According to the tabloids, the over-protective Rudolfo forbade Elissa from pursing an acting career. Elise obviously had her way and is currently estranged from Rudolfo.

Section 9 does not know Riese's current phone number. This is one of the pieces of information that the agency hopes to obtain from the SIMM card.
 
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Hurricain

First Post
X-Cel looks at Sarah curiously and speaks ," So , now that you have that new information , what now? "

X-cel scans over his cover identity that section nine has given him," Now lets see , who I'm I today?"
 

Hammerhead

Explorer
Sarah looks up. "Well, our lack of knowledge regarding his phone number certainly ruins one of my plans. As a trained agent, stealing from him will be difficult."

Running her fingers through her hair, she continues, "But perhaps a simple distraction technique could work. You spill some expensive red wine on his shirt, I go for his phone. Tracking his car will be rather elementary, I think. Yet another option would be for you to provoke him into some form of testosterone-charged fistfight, where he must remove his jacket so you two could beat on each other. A third technique would be simply spike his drink. What do you think of our options? In espionage, the planning is essential, you know."
 

Hurricain

First Post
X-cel listens to his partners ideas.

"Thats some good ideas. I especially like the one with the testosterone-fistfight." X-cel cracks his knuckles and continues," I think he might become suspicious if we spike his drink and he starts feeling funny. So I think we should either simply try to pick-pocket him or I could start some sort of distraction. Either way , we got him."
 

Hammerhead

Explorer
Sarah considers another possibility in her mind. Her partner wouldn't like it, but his reaction needed to be real. But did she have the skills to pull it off? A wrong move there could easily cost both of them their lives.

Only as a last resort, Sarah affirms in her mind. "So tell me Xander, do you have any skills besides pummeling people with your fists? I'd like to try and formulate a plan using your skills as well. Say, have you thought of a cover identity yet? I shall be Sarah Tillock, a high powered financier." Sarah always used her first name when in disguise, if at all possible. As such, if an improbability happened, such as meeting an old classmate, their annoying greeting of 'Sarah!' would not give away her disguise immediately.
 

Hurricain

First Post
Xander smiles, " Well , I am a Psion of some sort but unfortunately none of my skills can really help us in this situation. Besides what's wrong with pummeling people with my fists. As for my cover identity , I was wondering. Would Sarah Tillock the so called high powered financier need a bodyguard? If so then what better man to fit the job than David Snow." Xander stands up from his chair and starts walking around the room
( attempting to imitate a announcer of some sort , but doing a very lousy job at it.)
" David Snow is an aquarius , he is an experienced bodyguard , who loves swimming and hopes to one day retire in a tropical location!

Xander laughs out loud , obviously amused by his impersonation. Then looks over to his partner , hoping she is as well laughing.
 

Hammerhead

Explorer
Sarah does not laugh. In fact, she finds nothing humorous in his impression. "It would not be wise to make any link between the two of us, if at all possible. Personally, I would suggest a thinly-disguised mobster, another businessman, or perhaps a waiter or other form of hired help."
 

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