Shock and Awe

## Introduction

An anonymous caller from a Macon, Georgia police station told A-Cell that the death of a suspect in custody was a result of the unnatural (the whistleblower, Susan Michelson, is a dispatcher and one-time friendly – cross-referencing police employment records and DG missions can identify her, or she can contact the team if they get stuck). The organization asks the agents to investigate while posing as members of a hate crime or police brutality task force. The former gets better-treated by cops until people start asking for things outside that purview.

The victim was Terry Sewell, a Marine arrested for shooting at an Iraqi refugee. This man is actually an inhuman sorcerer restarting a cult on US soil. Sewell witnessed him conducting a ritual in Baghdad five years ago, and recognized the cultist here. The sorcerer plans to ensure his safety by silencing the other witnesses.

## Thank You for Your Service

Macon is aflame with the news of another African-American dead at the hands of the police; constant protests and news crews should make the agents fear attracting notice. Sewell was in the back of a cruiser awaiting transport to a hearing when a spell caused him to spontaneously combust. The driver [Alex Raynor] is on administrative leave and does not want to talk to anyone – his statements to IA were incoherent. The car’s dashboard camera footage, if enhanced, reveals a glimpse of a hooded witness watching Sewell die.

Police arrested Sewell for shooting at Ibram Nahismus with a legally obtained AR-15. In their media counteroffensive, they have hinted that Sewell made prejudicial statements about his victim. Questioning an officer harshly about this gets the truth that Sewell repeatedly yelled “he’s not human!” Nahismus left the station without giving a phone number or address (primarily because he lacks a phone and doesn’t sleep). A puff piece from last year (see below) describes how USMC lieutenant colonel Alvin Becker brought the Iraqi interpreter to the US. In truth, Becker was the sorcerer’s first and most important American convert, and will protect his master if necessary.

## Investigation

Sewell’s service records show that he was part of a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team in Iraq in 2012, and received a Joint Service Achievement Medal. He roamed around the Southeast after leaving the service – early, as it turns out, with no indication why. Delving further into DoD archives locates the incident reports filed by the MPs his FAST squad called, and the EODs they called after the Marines reported “pyrotechnics” in the Zawra Park zoo. They list 8 Marines, 2 MPs, 2 bomb disposal techs, Lt. Col. Becker, and 5 Iraqi nationals (including Nahismus). Tellingly, no statements were taken from any Iraqis since “no interpreters were present.”

Following up on the other witnesses of this event is also revelatory. The entire FAST squad received a Joint Service Achievement Medal, although their service doesn’t appear to merit it. The bomb disposal techs transferred to Spain’s Morón Air Base, despite lacking the training and seniority to do so. Most of the others ended their tours early; Becker arranged all of this to gain their cooperation. He will decline to speak with agents from his post at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany (Georgia), but his curiosity will be piqued.

Some of Nahismus’ work has already been done. One EOD specialist died in a training explosion in 2015, and an MP killed herself last year. The living bomb tech [Edgar Ramos] is still in Spain, safe until Becker arranges for a stateside transfer. The other MP [Benjamin Quincy] has a cushy position – again, with Becker’s help – at the Embassy Security Group in Quantico. They know less of the Marines’ story, below.

The team can locate the remaining Marines, who eventually realize they are in mortal danger (the question is, will they consider the agents as the source of said danger!). The team can find them and use them as bait or attempt to help them disappear. A Handler can drop an obituary or two into a web search if players miss a connection.

Should they be convinced that agents will listen, their stories will be consistent: on a night patrol in the Green Zone in 2012, the squad saw green flashes from a distance near the zoo. Before investigating closely they called MPs, who called EODs. Some kind of religious service was occurring, with several Iraqis dancing in front of an odd green flame. Something about the apparent leader was wrong. When the patrol announced its presence, Becker identified himself and spun some bullshit about permitted use. If pressed, the witnesses will admit that Becker secured their silence with promises of benefits, which he delivered.

Some possible events follow:

* The closest Green Box was outside Fort Benning, in the basement of a repair shop. Unfortunately, the structure was demolished two years ago when the base expanded, and the Army moved its contents moved elsewhere.

* If any agents use the Corps as a cover, or mention this background in order to make friends, Becker will find out and look into it. If necessary he will rent a hotel room in Macon – or slip south to kill the other Marines (see the final entry)

* The closest veteran is William Pratt. He is either an innocent first victim or a cult member (along with a dozen or so other Macon residents). In the latter case, he will flee from agent inquiries and call Becker when he can. If caught, he maintains an unconvincing silence. Subjected to enhanced interrogation, he’ll admit that he learns when to meet the cult via “green signs in the night sky,” with no discernable past pattern.

* For a last stand, one vet’s [Michael Burroughs] family owns a cabin on an island in Saint Vincent Sound. The FAST squad planned to meet there if trouble resurfaced. Their bug-out warning is “go to hell” – which refers to Tate’s Hell State Forest on the Florida Panhandle. An agent might hear this on the answering machine of a missing marine.

Start a daily countdown with Burroughs there, and a new marine trickling in every 1-4 days thereafter. Roll 1d6 to see which Marine brings a shotgun (a 1 is Burroughs). Roll d8+d6 to determine on which day the cult strikes: in an assault, 10 cultists will assemble near the cabin’s front door while Becker watches with a sniper rifle and Nahismus lies in wait.

### [Article from the Albany Herald, 2016]

Officer and Gentleman: Georgian Secures Asylum for Iraqi Interpreter

Alvin Becker joined the Marines to protect his fellow countrymen. He never dreamed that his most generous act would save the life of an Iraqi refugee. Yet after a multi-year process, Ibram Nahismus can now worship freely in the land of the free. “It was the right thing to do,” the lieutenant colonel said after the administrative hearing at which Nahismus was awarded the right to remain in the US. “terrible things happened to his congregation in Iraq, and knowing that I helped is a testament to both his and my faith. Ibram was with me everywhere I went in Iraq, and I wanted to have his back here in America.” Nahismus asked not to be photographed, because he still has relatives back home who may be targeted.

### [DoD Reports from 2012]

MP Report IVO Zawra Park 28NOV12 22:28. Response to officer present with assembly of Iraqi citizens. US personnel present 8 USMC/FAST responsible for call & Becker Lt Col. at site. No interpreter present/no statements taken from civilians. EOD notified called due to FAST report of unusual pyrotechnics prior to contact. Officer states “will take care of” issue. No further action. Lamont, M. & Quincy, B.

22 MEU EOD report Zawra Park Baghdad 28NOV12 22:43. Call from MP responding to USMC patrol contact. Report cited “green flames” in vicinity with several fornats and USMC Officer. No interpreter present. Audio/explosion negative. Visual and K9 sweep negative. No ordnance collection/defusion. Ramos, E. & Crisp, K.

Iraqis in the DoD reports: Ghani Adnan, Yessar Hussein, Hamza Mohammed, Ibram Nahismus, Yahya Shaker

## Stats

FAST Marines: Michael Burroughs, Carrabelle, FL; Brett Johnston, Houston, TX; Dillan Kemp, Buffalo, NY; Victor Nogales, New York City; Lucas Owen, Charleston, SC; William Pratt, Atlanta, GA; Zachary Reynolds, Seattle, WA. Each Marine has a 25% chance of having the contact information of 1d4+1 of his comrades on a cel phone and/or email account. HP 13; Alertness 50%, Athletics 50%, Firearms 40% (pistol 1d10 or shotgun 2d10), Melee Weapons 50% (knife 1d6+1), Unarmed Combat 50% (1d4).

Civilian Cultists: Roll under each italicized skill to see if a cultist is armed with that type of weapon. HP 11; Alertness 35%, Athletics 35% (Molotov cocktail), Firearms 20% (pistol 1d10), Melee Weapons 40% (knife 1d6+1), Unarmed Combat 35% (1d4).

Becker: HP 14; Alertness 50%, Athletics 65%, Dodge 25%, Firearms 60% (sniper rifle 1d12+2), Melee Weapons 45% (knife 1d6+1), Navigate 25%, Unarmed Combat 40% (1d4).

Nahismus (Crawling One): HP 13 (normal weapons do minimum damage, bullets 1 point), POW 15, WP 20; Unarmed Combat 25% (1d3). Spells: Mask of the Worm (X WP creates a generic human visage for 12 hours, reduce viewers’ Alertness by 1/1+X on attempts to discern the caster’s true nature), Immolate (as Withering, except the target erupts in spontaneous green flame, target must be visible to caster). SAN Loss to view his true form is 1d3/2d4.

## Credits

Shock and Awe was written by Michael Daumen for the 2017  shotgun scenario contest.

Published by arrangement with the Delta Green Partnership. The intellectual property known as Delta Green is a trademark and copyright owned by the Delta Green Partnership, who has licensed its use here. The contents of this document are © Michael Daumen, excepting those elements that are components of the Delta Green intellectual property.

Shock and Awe is not available here under CC-BY-SA.