Hello again and welcome to the fifth (and final) part of the NBA Intro game (S)Entries. This last weekend, SUN 17 NOV 13 we had Joseph, Omar and Leslie.
More Serbian gangsters were beaten and abducted and the team found out a little bit more about the threat they faced. I have diverged significantly from the adventure in the Core Rules at this point and so the Spoiler Warning is not in place for this session but it will be reintroduced next session when the agents begin The Zalozhniy Quartet.
Sarajevo
Sun,
28 JUL 2013
18:50 (GMT+1)
Gyasi
tells the team that the bar that Knezevic is heading to is called
“они и ми” (“Them and Us” in Serbian) and is located
near the Sacred Heart Cathedral on Marsala Tita. Gyasi knows
it from his own investigations here in Sarajevo and tells the team
that it is a known hangout for the Serbian Zemun Clan here in Bosnia.
Gyasi
describes the bar layout. The customer entrance is at the front and
at the rear are double doors allowing deliveries, a rear entrance
along with access to a cellar for barrels and other storage. There
are two floors, upstairs is accessed by a beautiful wrought iron
spiral staircase and consists of the landlord's quarters, but there
are a couple of spare rooms upstairs used by visitors. The bar is a
long L-shape downstairs made of dark oak and there are a number of
circular tables taking up the main floor. Behind the bar and it's mix
of spirits is a large mirror, dusty and smeared with the accumulated
dregs of alcoholic beverages. The unisex toilet is to the rear next
to the bar. Opposite the bar the walls of the bar are plastered with
pictures of rough looking men in Serbian military uniforms, ill
fitting suits or sportswear. It's a cosy little place with little
space for manoeuvre.
The
team split up, Ron is to wait over the road at a bar opposite nursing
a pint and listening in, ready to provide backup or vehicle support
if necessary. Angela and Evelyn will go in using the “lost tourist”
method and distract the patrons with a tale about a broken down car.
Gyasi will sneak in unobserved whilst this takes place. Luc will
cover the rear, prepared to follow Kovacs should he decide to sneak
out the back.
The
tall wooden double gates are closed and a large blue panel truck is
parked close to the alley wall. Green plastic bottle bins flank the
rear exit. Luc adds to his dishevelled disguise by pouring some of
the remains of the alcohol on his clothing then leans against one of
the bottle bins.
Angela
and Evelyn dress as tourists. Letting the air out of one of the tyres
of the rental car gives them reason to stop off and seek assistance.
They enter and note that Knezevic is
not downstairs in the bar so they start straight for the bar.
They see around 15 people sat around drinking rakia,
playing cards and smoking cigarettes. Behind the bar an older man and
a younger woman tend to the customers.
Evelyn
asks the barman if they have a phone to call for a mechanic to help
them out while Angela pretends to be looking up something on her
phone (but is in fact sweeping the camera around the bar taking HD
video of the patrons). The man behind the bar follows the gist of
Google Translate but indicates that there is no phone behind the bar
– he does however put a local business phone directory in front of
Evelyn before turning back to making the glasses dirtier by rubbing
them with a filthy washcloth tucked into his belt.
Whilst Angela and Evelyn are acting as distractions, Gyasi slips in, disguised to prevent Knezevic recognising him, and orders a slivovitz before seating himself as unobtrusively as possible near the front entrance. He pops open a notebook and makes as if to get some work done. Out back Luc, after verifying he is alone, moves towards the back door and notes that it is locked.
Evelyn
asks for a Perrier from the bartender and as she takes delivery
Knezevic comes downstairs. He has changed his clothes and bound the
fingers that Ron broke during the interrogation. He heads to the back
of the bar and sits at a table headed by a man that must be Kovacs.
Two other men, Mirko Ivanović and Vladislav Petrovic are sat with
Kovacs. Evelyn asks bartender where the toilet is located and he
indicates the back of bar just next to Kovacs' table.
Angela
waits outside the bathroom for Evelyn to finish, surreptitiously
recording Kovacs' conversation with Knezevic and pipe it through to
Gyasi, Luc and Ron who all speak Serbian (Preparedness). Ron
relays the translation back to Angela and Evelyn. Knezevic is saying
that he's in danger and needs to be sent somewhere safe to
recuperate; Kovacs listens and nodding. Whilst this is happening a
muscular looking seems to have taken an interest is Gyasi. He is
puffing himself up and eyeballing him closely. Gyasi shuts and puts
away his notebook and makes his way to the bar to order another
slivovitz.
Out
back, Luc attempts to pick the lock (Infiltration). In a
moment of random chance he knocks over a bottle on the step which
smashes, drawing attention from inside the bar. Kovacs, Knezevic and
the other two men on the rear table look over at the back door. Luc
drops the picks into his pocket and slumps up against the nearest
bottle bin, hoping that if anyone does come out they will only
identify a drunken man taking advantage of poorly guarded dregs.
Petrovic indicates to the barkeep to toss the keys for the back door
over so he can check outside.
Angela
fakes an interest in the tattoo on Kovacs' arm and takes a picture of
it, standing far enough back to get his face in the picture. Ivanović
pulls his jacket aside showing the butt of a pistol tucked into his
belt. He shakes his head angrily, indicating to Angela that she needs
to back away from his boss. Evelyn tugs her away saying that perhaps
they should wait outside for the mechanic and they both head to the
front door. Ron is already reacting, heading to the car and starting
it, hoping that he won't hear the emergency code they had previously
established.
The
man who was staring at Gyasi approaches him from behind and grabs him
by the left bicep to turn him around. As Gyasi meets his eyes the man
curls his lip in a sneer and in a thick Belgrade accent says
“У затвору, ја бих јеби се као кучка.”
Gyasi
turns and smiles, fluttering his eyelashes at the Serbian and
demurely offers to take him up on that offer (Flirting). The
man is somewhat nonplussed at the reaction and stands there looking
confused and unsure if his intimidation attempt was perhaps poorly
worded.
With
the back door now open, Petrovic steps out downstairs and sees Luc
propped up against the bottle bin. He eyes him with a mix of
opportunity and disgust. Knezevic and Kovacs stand and make their way
to the back door and a few other bar patrons take an interest and
start shuffling past the tables to make their way outside. Petrovic
approaches as if to give the drunk a solid kick so Luc quickly gets
to his feet and motions his assailant follow him around the back of
the delivery truck where he has another bottle he is willing to share
with his new friend. Petrovic tries to grab Luc but against some
theatrical stumbling he is unable to get a grip.
As
Luc reaches the rear of the lorry and turns in, Petrovic reaches
under his shirt and pulls a sharp blade from it's kydex sheath. Luc
feels the reassuring weight of the 21” extendible ASP baton tugging
at the back of his belt (Preparedness)
but for now he swiftly removes his coat and bundles it around his
arm, giving him some defensive protection in the event of a knife
fight. As the other men start filtering out through the back door
Gyasi tugs himself free from his new beau and heads to the rear.
Evelyn leaves and starts drifting around to the locked gate that
leads from the street to the area at the rear of the bar. Angela
joins Ron in the Jeep and they get ready to make a fast entrance or
exit if necessary.
Gyasi's
new BFF grabs him by the shoulder so as to continue their discussion
but a swift backwards elbow strike into his diaphragm leaves him
gasping for air (Hand to Hand). Gyasi sets him down on the
nearest barstool and pats him gently on the head. He feints towards
the bathroom before heading out the rear door and the gathering
throng.
Petrovic
approaches Luc, passing his knife from hand to hand with practised
nonchalance. Luc throws him for a loop by hurling a bottle into his
nose (Athletics) mid pass. The impact of the bottle shocks
Petrovic, whose knife clatters to the ground next to the wall. He
staggers back, bleeding from a broken nose, and his friends from the
bar see him reeling. Embarrassed at being outclassed by a wino,
Petrovic throws caution to the wind and charges Luc, hoping to grab
him with both hands and pin him against the wall.
Luc
attempts a sidestep and trip (Hand to Hand) but moves too
slowly and get slammed against the wall. He reaches down and grabs
Little Petrovic and the Twins, squeezing and twisting as hard as he
can. Petrovic collapses to the ground shrieking in agony. Luc pulls
the ASP and takes up a position just around the side of the lorry as
Knezevic, Kovacs, Ivanović and two more patrons approach his
position.
Evelyn
begins to pick the lock to the rear access gate silently
(Infiltration) whilst Gyasi moves quickly to disable the two
rearmost Serbians. A lunging teep kick
to the first man's head turns into a spin kick to the second and both
men are down and out in mere moments. Gyasi moves up behind Kovacs
who, distracted by Luc's battle in front of him has not noticed the
two men rendered unconscious by the hulking Gyasi behind him. Luc
extends the baton with a sharp whipping motion and attacks the two
men as they reach the corner (Weapons).
The first man goes down with a broken collarbone but the second
strike misses.
Kovacs
reaches for a handgun tucked under his shirt and Gyasi runs into
action, grabbing him around the wrist with both hands and wrestling
for control (Hand to Hand).
Gyasi uses a fast hip toss and follows it up with a driving knee to
the stomach (more Hand to Hand)
simultaneously hyper-extending Kovacs' wrist and using a ridge hand
strike to the rear slide of the pistol to knock it from his grasp.
Kovacs, overwhelmed by Gyasi's assault and suffering from a
concussion after being bounced off the side of the lorry drops to the
ground and Gyasi scoops up the pistol, power-stroking the slide back
into battery.
Luc
viciously smashes the tip of the ASP into the temple of his
opponent's head and sends him to sleep (Weapons)
and then indicates that his next opponent look behind him. Gyasi is
pointing Kovacs' relinquished Glock at Knezevic. Knezevic spots the
three unconscious men behind Gyasi and decides that this is not a
battle he is likely to win. He raises his hands and slowly drops to
his knees. Luc's opponent also decides discretion is the better part
of valour and assumes the same position.
Ron
reverses the Jeep quickly into the access alley and pops the trunk as
Gyasi hoists Kovacs over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and moves
past Luc through the now unlocked access gate. Luc follows and they
load their second captive Serbian in two days into the rear of the
car. Luc jumps in the back and Evelyn and Gyasi make their way
swiftly round the corner and jump in Gyasi's car, following after Ron
who immediately starts running counter-surveillance patterns before
heading back out to the abandoned farmhouse where Knezevic was
questioned.
Outside
Sarajevo
Sun,
28 JUL 2013
19:31 (GMT+1)
Arriving
at the farmhouse, Angela and Evelyn stay out of Kovacs line of sight.
Gyasi and Evelyn decide to head to Brigovich's house here in Sarajevo
whilst Ron and Luc bundle Kovacs down into the cellar for a nice
chat. Angela gets to poke around on his phone whilst the scene is
prepared. Kovacs has been in touch with a number of landlines in
Belgrade and with both Knezevic and Brigovich but not Dedopovic.
Looking Kovacs up on Interpol records show he has a criminal record
and has served time in several prisons over the years. She informs
Luc and Ron so they have a little information about his background
before they begin the questions.
Kovacs
smirks at Ron and Luc after they tie him to a chair in the centre of
the cellar. He has the scars from around thirty stab wounds on his stomach and
doesn't look as if he will break as easy as Knezevic. Ron opens up
with some basic questioning and is greeted with a guttural laugh and
a threat that Kovacs will see him, his family, his pets and everyone
he knows dead and everything he knows and loves burned to ashes. Ron
indicates some of the implements nearby and Kovacs laughs once more.
“Био
сам тукао бољи људи него што сте раније
мог пријатеља. Постоје и горе ствари од
смрти.”
(“I
was beaten by better people than you before my friend. There are
worse things than death.”)
Luc,
unable to help himself, glances up at Kovacs, remembering Vladek.
Kovacs sees this and in turn tries to gauge what Luc knows. He nods
his head towards Luc and says
“знаш
зашто сам уплашена.”
(“You
know why I'm scared.”)
Luc's
eyes bore into Kovacs.
“Знам
шта се плашите. Плашиш се оно што видите
у њиховим очима? Иза њихове очи?”
(“I
know what you fear. Are you afraid of what you see in their eyes?
Behind their eyes?”)
Kovacs
goes pale and clams up immediately, refusing to answer further
questions. Ron suggests that if he is unwilling to help they will
drag him along and use Kovacs to slow these things down if they need
to make a swift getaway.
Luc
speaks up again.
“Ви
не плаши смрти... Плашите ли се да ћете
постати као они?”
(“You
do not fear death... Are you afraid that you will become like them?”)
Kovacs
looks panicked. Ron turns to Luc and says “We'd best keep hold of
him for now. We can use him for any experiments we need to run whilst
we're looking into this”. Luc nods his agreement and addresses
Kovacs again.
“Можете
да купите себи мало времена, ако почнете
да говорите”
(“You
can buy yourself some time if you start talking”)
Luc
suggests that a future as an information source would probably be
infinitely preferable to that of a test subject (Interrogation)
and Kovacs kicks off, struggling against his bonds. He has given up
rational thought, trying so hard to escape his restraints that he
dislocates his own shoulder in an effort to free himself. Luc kicks
the chair over to prevent him from doing further damage to himself
and he and Ron attempt to hold Kovacs down. He is fighting with all
his strength, self-preservation overtaking damage control as his
primary concern and the struggle could end with him being gravely
injured if it continues.
Ron
hits Kovacs with his taser who convulses but instantly becomes a lot
easier to handle. Passing the taser to Luc he runs upstairs and asks
Angela for something to sedate Kovacs. Angela raids the medikit and
hands Ron a syringe of muscle relaxant. Ron gets back downstairs and
injects Kovacs with a half-dose. He is no longer struggling but his
words are slurred. Luc and Ron right his chair and they sit down
opposite him to record the rest of the interrogation.
Ron
reiterates to Kovacs that he can stay alive by sharing information
with them. Kovacs laughs morbidly and again lets the two men know he
is not scared of what they can do to him. Luc presses him again and
Kovacs tells them of a grainy video that Brigovich once showed to
some of his subordinates. The video looked to have been shot in a
disused warehouse and featured a figure in a black hooded sweatshirt
and trousers doing things that couldn't be done.
The
figure moved with uncanny speed and strength and at one point
appeared to be crawling along a wall. Luc asks outright if the figure
Kovacs saw looked like it was human. Kovacs looks up under hooded
eyes.
“Једном.
Можда.”
(“Once.
Maybe.”)
He
continues with his story. Brigovich showed them the video before they
went to Odessa to help out with an arms shipment telling his men that
if anyone tried to mess with the Russians on the deal they would have
to answer to it. Brigovich implied that his connections to the
Russians were such that he could call on their asset if needed.
Kovacs never saw this thing anywhere other than the video. Luc asks
if Kovacs ever met Vladek but gets a negative so he pushes for more
about Brigovich.
Kovacs
volunteers some information the team already knew, about his houses
in Odessa and Sarajevo, his relationship with Zoric, position within
the Zemun Clan, finances and influence. Due to his connections in the
Balkans, the Russians often come to him direct when trying to get
things done in the local area. In his dealings with the Russians in
Odessa he appeared to be working for them. Kovacs talks about some of
the Russians he worked with: Vasily, Uri and Rolan. Vasily was a
veritable man mountain who always seemed to have a cigar in his
mouth. Uri liked to wear expensive tactical glasses and aviator
gloves and Rolan, a young, fit Ukrainian always seemed wired and full
of nervous energy.
Sarajevo
Sun,
28 JUL 2013
20:04 (GMT+1)
Evelyn
and Gyasi reach Brigovich's house in Sarajevo. It looks nice from
outside and from what they can discern it is empty at this time.
Evelyn breaks in (Open
Sesame)
and she and Gyasi take a look around. They take in an expensive
minimalist interior and a well stocked wine cellar and in the garage
find a black Hummer H2 and a rare and expensive Porsche 911 Sports
Classic. Evelyn finds the car keys and a wall safe which she decides
to open (Infiltration).
Inside is a Glock 19 with two magazines, €90,000 in cash and two
passports.
Both
passports feature the same face; one Ukrainian and one Bosnian under
the names Danilo Zelenko and Danilo Adamić respectively. Evelyn
takes everything, ejecting a single round from one of the magazines
and leaving it standing on end in the safe before closing and
relocking it. Gyasi and Evelyn spend a few minutes setting up covert
audio and video surveillance devices to cover the entrance, safe and
other locations before they make their way back to the farmhouse. On
the way back Evelyn sends MMS images of Brigovich's backup passports
to Ron, Angela and Luc.
Sarajevo
Sun,
28 JUL 2013
21:14 (GMT+1)
Ron
receives a phone call from Ibis and steps out to answer it. She lets
him know that the cameras she hacked have picked up movement at
Brigovich's place in Odessa. A black Mercedes Benz E-Class has pulled
up and three men clamber out. A squat powerful looking older man in a
well tailored suit, a tall gaunt man and a figure dressed top to toe
in black including a black hooded top.
She
sends through a picture of the three men to Ron and on receiving the
passport photos of Danilo she updates the facial recognition software
she is running. She next identifies the E-Class as a rental from
Hertz at Odessa airport. She tries to break into the server (Digital
Intrusion) but comes up short. Changing tack she gives Ron an address
for a safe house in Odessa and he lets her know about the results of
the interrogation of Kovacs.
Sarajevo
Sun, 28 JUL 2013
22:17 (GMT+1)
Arriving
back at the farmhouse the team update Gyasi and Evelyn and decide
what to do about Kovacs. Ron is all for taking him out back with a
shovel but calmer heads prevail. Gyasi has a good friend as a contact
in the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), Captain
Marko Lukic. They decide that they will be able to hand Kovacs over
to him and arrange for him to get lost in the prisoner transfer
system, at least until they are safe out of the country.
Gyasi
takes the blood and tissue samples from the Vladek's
not-overwhelmingly-well-preserved sniper rifle but is unable to
detect drugs or anything else anomalous. Ron is unhappy at this as it
defies rational explanation. Luc receives an SMS from one of his
contacts and after a brief phone call gets the details of a man named
Donald Carroll in Sevastopol who might be able to help with the
investigation in Odessa.
Angela
gets an email indicating that a news article has popped with one of
her pre-defined search terms: Lennart. The article is about the death
of Brigadier General Malcolm Lennart in a fatal car accident in
Canada. The team gather together upstairs in the farmhouse before
they drag Kovacs to the handover with Lukic. Evelyn splits the money
found in Brigovich's safe between the team and they then share (most
of) what they know with each other. The consensus is to head to
Sevastopol and from there into Odessa.
The updated NBA Locations Map is HERE.
Thanks for joining us again - please feel free to drop me some feedback via G+ or the open RPG.net thread.
Cheers,
Paul
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