"He's got to have access to the best couriers Marshall, Carter, and 
Dark can get, and that would have to be Leon. A Ukrainian refugee 
and excellent smuggler; he's so nondescript, even loan sharks can't 
find him." Roman narrowed the search parameters based on Zev 
and Repartee's contacts, "As for supervision, there's only one guard 
that they both know: he's called 'the Shepherd.’ The most 
intimidating man you'll ever see. He's probably going to facilitate the 
drop." 


"Why are you just telling us this? If you're not careful, there could be 
hell to pay. What's your angle?" 


"You might not want the glory, but this bust is gonna be big. This'll 
be my move out of this crap team and into something a bit more 
suited to my abilities." 


Heliotrope looked unfocused. "So, what's the item, then? Must be 
something important by the sound of it." 


"That's one of the biggest things about it: with so many agents being 
moved around, it's something very important. There's even rumors 
of an agent flying in for their expertise on it." 


"Voss." Heliotrope's eyes lit up. "A ‘Juniper Voss' from the Marshall, 
Carter, Dark British subsidiary arrived through customs this morning. 
Control thought it peculiar, so he had me look into it. She's an 
MC&D defector from GRU Division 'P.' Very important; she's been 
handling affairs there for almost 30 years now." 


"All right. Now we're getting somewhere. I'll have Control make the 
joint to the Task Force for my team." Before he left, turning back 
around, "Oh, and try to keep all of this between us. Once this is all 
taken care of, I'm sure Control will understand my—" 


"Breach of information?" Heliotrope smirked. Roman inhaled sharply 
and got into his SUV. Heliotrope opened her umbrella as the rain 
began to fall. She looked over at her friend, "Man... Yorston's gonna 
be pissed..." 


"THIEF. Where are you? What's the plan?” 


"En Route. Don't worry. I'll let you know once the 
arrangements are finalized." 


"We need as much info as possible before the Item 
arrives. This mission has become too important to lose 
track of it." 


"It's all taken care of. I'll be trying to change the mode of 
transportation for ease of the Containment team. How's 
Yorston on water?" 


"He'd do fine no matter the job. He's one of the best. But, 
you're sure water is the best plan for this SCP? You're 
not worried about activation?" 


"Stop worrying, Control. It'll be as smooth as possible." 


"You haven't forgotten about the assassin, have you? 
Five of your names are active in this operation." 


"That's part of the idea." 


Zev stepped out onto the rooftop as the bright orange helicopter 
came into view against the blue light of the stormy sky. The shadow 
in the corner of his eye came into view; the small, huddled man in 
the trenchcoat stepped beside Sully. 


"| always hated orange. Too immediate. Like a hunter trying to not 
be shot." 


"Ah, Leon. It's always uncomfortable when we meet, isn't it?” The 
rain pattered and darkened Zev's shoulders. 


"You're telling me. You sure about this chick?" 


"More than | am about you.” As Sully turned to look at the dark- 
faced man, the elevator rung again, opening its doors to let out a 
giant hulk of a man. He stepped out of the glass-paned box and 
crossed his arms behind his back staring intently at the helicopter 
through his black glasses. "Shepherd." The man returned Zev's nod. 


"Ah, Hemos. Been a long time, hasn't it?" Leon shot a half-smile 
under his hood at the Shepherd. "Where was it? Singapore? 
Madrid?" 


"Guernica." 


"Of course... Probably not a good time to mention that now..." 
Leon's face darkened as he retreated and slumped his shoulders. 


The helicopter touched ground, air-drying the pad with its huge 
gusts. Zev didn't so much as flinch as he approached the door, 
paper bag still in hand. He opened the door for the lady. "Madam 
Voss, a pleasure to meet at last." 


She quickly stepped to the ground, shaking the air-travel off herself, 
"Let us not waste time, shall we Zev? | terribly dislike the flying, but | 
hate wasting time." She strode across the helipad to the elevator 
shutters, not even opening her clutched umbrella. "You asked me 
for my knowledge on this acquisition, now show me where it is so 
that | may go home." 


The silver-haired man matched her speed, "Of course, let us 
convene in the lounge to better acquaint ourselves with the plan." 


The two other dark figures in the rain followed them in. "No time," 
Voss shot. "Talk now... This city must be the most dismal place on 
Earth." 


Leon spoke up, "The goods arrived this morning, now located at one 
of the North harbors in a warehouse guarded by the very best. No 
need to worry about security." 


"How many? Are you sure? This is no dime-store purchase, we've 
been moving merchandise like this since the age of Christ." As Leon 
chuckled at Voss's remark, he was only met with cold glares. 
"They're being transported now?" 


"Last-minute change. They leave as soon as I'm there." The elevator 
shot down, quick as lightning. "Pennsylvania by tomorrow." 


"I'd like to check it myself, Zev. Make sure everything's accounted 
for." 


"No need. We're off to PA before it gets there. Post-checking the 
valuables," Zev pushed open the doors, revealing Valerie Repartee 
at the entrance. "Ah, right on schedule." 


"Shut it, Sully. Madam Voss, pleasure," Val's expression switched 
from disdain to salutation within a split-second; changing just as 
quickly to disinterest as Voss waved away her outstretched hand. 
"The arrangements are set. There's a car ready for us to take to the 
drop, and the item is being loaded onto the barge." Leon scurried 
out of sight. 


"What?" Zev grunted from behind gritted teeth. "What do you mean 
barge?" 


"The service was the most cost-effective with the accompanying 
assured security." 


Zev laughed between throaty, forced coughs. "And by ‘assured 
security,’ I'm guessing you mean the destruction of the WHOLE 
OPERATION AND THE LLP?!" He exploded. "How could you 


possibly think this would be preferable? How could you think that 
was even an option?!" 


Voss interjected, "The item cannot be transported across water! This 
exhibits such danger, as...incalculable!" The stern alarm shone in 
her grey eyes. 


"I-I'm sorry, sir! | didn't-| mean, | knew but-l-I'm so sorry!" 
"LEON." Zev turned to the man who had already left. "DAMMIT." 


"Zev," the silent one spoke up. "The plan goes ahead as planned. 
Leon does not make mistakes. We shall go to the drop." 


Zev recalibrated in his mind. "Fine. It seems too late to change 
anything...however, if any of this goes awry —" 


"Yes, of course. My responsibility. Of course, sir." Valerie's wide 
eyes conveyed more than her voice could. 


"Not just your responsibility, my dear: your head." 


Grifter 


"Yorston. THIEF sent me the information on the new 
‘acquisition,’ to use 'Lip' terms. Operation 'Free Market' is 
a go." 


"It's coming through now, Control. We have the drop 
location too?" 


“THIEF doesn't hold back, we have everything now; and 
now with Roman's additions, we have names to faces." 


"| thought Morris redacted that." 
"Things change." 


"| don't like that. And Roman? What the hell does he 
have to do with this? / lead Containment." 


"| don't question that, Al. Roman's just backup on this 
op." 


"Fine. Whatever. I've got two Armed Fireteams and one 
Covert. | take it Roman's gonna be waiting by the van?" 


"Depends on who's going on the boat." 


"Oh shoot, that's right...it's on a boat. We'll probably 
hijack it off the bridge three clicks from the start. /'l/be on 
the boat with Armed Fireteam Alpha and Covert team 
Bravo. Going in hot, but no fire." 


"You know, Al, anyone tell you you're a smart one? The 
call number we got from THIEF is G2T67/L9VXC/ 
WI3M3." 


"Hm, catchy, I'll be sure to keep an eye out. Okay, 
moving out. Tell Roman not to wait up." 


Leon Czoltz stepped out of the structure into the rain. He couldn't 
stand the small talk of the hired guards for a second longer. The 
barge had already begun its movement along the wide river, pushed 
by the small tugboat toward the open ocean. It occurred to him to 
check up on the acquisition, he hadn't before launch. 


Leon moved slippingly on the slick boat's surface; slowly making his 
way to the bin. The rain battered his back like those Taiwanese 
jungle gnats, it brought back bad memories, to say the least. He slid 
over to the package, checking the tarp covering. The chains were 
tight enough, not to the point where he felt safe though. Cursing 
under his breath, he thought of the other times the Lip screwed him 
over. The iridescent puddle of water exuding from the boarded bin 
caught his eye. 


"What the hell?" He didn't hear his own words over the roar of the 
storm. "Is it leaking? No, nonono. Don't do this to me." 


He grabbed what spare material he had on the deck, wrapping the 
package's underside and pooling the liquid. "That should do it. At 


least for now." One of the guards approached him as the barge 
passed under the bridge. 


"Czoltz, is something wrong?" the hired hand shouted above the 
torrentuous sounds. 


"No! Nothing to worry about. All taken care of!" 


"Are you sure?" The man walked over to the bin. "Something might 
be damaged, should we alert the boss?" 


"No need. | said | took care of it." 
"You're sure? Don't want to take another look?" 


"Fine," he grunted while struggling back to the package to double 
check. He watched as the tarp tore and sprayed the slick liquid on 
his raincoat. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight as the dark 
figure lit his flare and tossed it at the Courier. Leon instinctively 
caught it, immediately going up in flames. The deck ignited in a 
blaze, scorching every one of the containers in its vicinity. Leon 
tossed himself against the floor, pounding the burning ground. He 
watched with his last moments as the dark man walked away, and 
with his last gasp screamed for help. 


Yorston was along the stern of the barge when the explosion 
erupted. The teams of four and two ducked down immediately 
behind the crates after the boom. Yorston signalled Bravo to stay 
back as he led Alpha forward to look out. The only true light was the 
lightning flashes; as the floodlights from the tug that once illuminated 
the decks had gone out since the explosion. As he rounded the 
corner, he caught the orange light blazing from the oil fire; it 
illuminated the guards as silhouettes while they tried to smother the 
spreading flame. A box sat in the middle of the blaze, slowly 
charring and collapsing, revealing six small figures covered in the 
fire. 


Tarps flew down from the hands of the guards, shielding the flames 
from the rain, as it billowed smoke up in a vast fog covering the 
entire deck within seconds; Yorston signalled his teams before the 


wind blew the blanket of smoke over them. The six agents wrapped 
their faces and crouched into the fog. Through squinting eyes, and 
muffled ears, Yorston glimpsed the tall, dark, MC&D agent, to his 
immediate left, drop in a hail of gunfire. Yorston bulleted to the tarps 
as he looked back to see one of his agents grazed by a ricochet. 
The hired guns brandished their semi-automatics as they searched 
for their assailants. The two fireteams ducked behind two ISO 
containers near the now-smothered package before the fog of 
smoke lifted. 


"What the hell is going on? All fireteams report!" He hissed into the 
radio of his tactical vest. 


His earpiece buzzed, "What do you mean? This is Charlie, waiting at 
rendezvous. What's happening?" 


"Where's Delta? ROMAN, DO YOU READ?" Yorston only received 
static in response. He looked up to see the star of fire from an 
automatic's muzzle at the front of the barge. "Who the hell is on my 
boat?" 


The Marshall, Carter, and Dark agents returned fire on the gunner; 
each of them going behind different crates for cover. Yorston 
signaled, then radioed, "2, 4: cover and suppress." Silencers off, two 
of the agents of Alpha moved into place, drawing fire and covering 
Yorston and the two covert-containment officers as they sped to the 
tarps. They slung off the secure containment vessels from their 
backs. Each took three of the figures. The teams withdrew back 
behind the ISOs. Yorston listened to the absence of gunfire, much to 
his despair. The Hired Guns searched for the intruders. 


"Cap? This is Roman. Come in." 


"Roman, do you have any idea what the hell is happening?" he 
hissed below the sound of the thunder. 


"Sorry, sir. It seemed as if we had to resort to less...conventional 
means of engagement." 


"We weren't supposed to engage at all! You put the lives of 
everyone here in danger and threatened the integrity of this 


operation." Yorston looked over at the charred remains. "What 
happened?" 


"Save me the lecture, Yorston. Something went down as soon as we 
landed on the ship. One of the reps covered the deck with gas... But 
that's not important right now. Make your way portside. | got a boat, 
let's get this item the fuck out of here." 


Yorston didn't have time to weigh the pros before one of the Guns 
found them. He signaled for suppressive fire again. Three of the 
guards went down in the MTF's hailstorm. They booked it to the 
edge of the barge, banking left as more guards came out of the 
tugboat. Rounding the corner, Yorston saw the Foundation agent 
with the automatic standing before him. Undoing his face mask, 
Roman slung his machine gun to his back and motioned for Captain 
Yorston to look. The grapple led off the edge of the ship, over toa 
dinghy moving alongside the barge. 


Roman jumped onto the boat. "C'mon, we don't have all day! give 
me the packages!" Yorston gathered his Covert team, unstrapping 
the vessels off their backs. He threw them into Roman's arms. 


Yorston stared into Roman in complete astonishment and disbelief 
as the small boat sped away to the rendezvous point. He turned 
back to the barge as it blew apart in fiery inferno of scrap metals and 
splinters. Within minutes, police copters swarmed the scene as the 
teams slipped away. Yorston and Fireteams Alpha and Bravo 
breached the water in time to see Roman's boat on the horizon, 
heading back to the city. 


Soldier 


"What? Explain. Stop the car." The silver-haired man stepped out as 
the chauffeur skid to a halt. "It's gone. Is that what you're telling me? 
It's just gone?" Zev punched the car roof. "Then WHERE IS IT?" 


Shepherd stepped out with Voss and Repartee following. Zev 
continued on the phone, "What color is the ocean? Still blue? Then 
at least you avoided that disaster. Now we just need to get our 


intermittently active for nearly eight hours and as a result the town 
and everything in a radius of [DATA EXPUNGED] was wiped clean 
of any trace of human civilization. Upon arrival, one plane was 
immediately affected; fortunately, the crew was able to make an 
emergency landing before the physical structure of the plane 
collapsed around them. Unfortunately, their equipment and clothing 
was also quickly disintegrated, exposing them to the extreme cold of 
northern Alaska. As a result, six agents had to be treated for 
hypothermia, but all are expected to return to duty with no lasting 
effects.