The A Team: Mercenary for Hire

[Fri]

The billboard looks really… welcoming. At least that’s what the big letters under the smiling lady said on the billboard.

Welcome to Highsville.

As far as you know (and as much as you can see), Highsville is another typical out-of-way small town where moms bake apple pies and dads spend time on the local bar owned by their mutual friends, where children play tag in one of the many empty lot. These kinds of towns almost extinct a few decades ago, but with the advance of technology, nowadays people tend to stay away from big cities (why do you want to stay in those megalopolises when internet can give you all of their fun without the stress of living in a choking megalopolis? With the advance of medical technology, even a small town hospital can do brain surgery now. And if you really want to go to the city, you just need to hitch a ride on one of those superfast express maglevs ).

You just managed to slip from that stubborn army dog (again) and had a three hour high-speed bullet-dodging explosion-filled chase on the highway. The small town atmosphere almost feels relaxing, as much as you can let yourself relax. The good general often recommend towns like this for a meeting place or as a place to lie down for a while. But you don’t know the actual reason why you’re called here, because the general’s short message only read: Highsville.

You’re still on the town’s skirt when you heard a loud pop from under your minivan. One of your tires had burst for one reason or another, and after one or two swerve, now you’re watching the billboard at the side of the road.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

J.J. clicks on his hover-pack and pulls out a wrench and says "Well boys, guess I better check this out." The smug short-man's propulsion-pack belt emits short frequency waves, and with a pod on either side of his belt buckle and in the same spot in the back, and he pops himself out.

[josh13905]

S.N.A.K.E.

Snake silently nods to J.J. and watches him through his mask. Deciding a stretch of the legs could do him good he gets out of the van to watch for any trouble, after all the had just barely escaped, and who knows where that Army Man could be. Snake leans on the side of the van watching both the road and JJ. He hadn't done much the last fight, due to the range of his sword, and his bow hadn't been within reach, a problem he had since fixed.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J. hovers out of the van and gets down to the tire, and then Searches (19) around for what could have caused the flat, and where exactly the flat was. "Hmm, well then, I suppose I could fix-er-up for us in no time. Let me get to work..." J.J. slides his goggles over his eyes, and pushes as button on his wrench which turns it into a variable mechanical multi-tool, and then a series of whirs and cricks, snaps and clicks later, Repair (20) the tire comes off. "Now where did that spare-tire get to."

[Fri]

JJ finds *gasp!* a small nail on one of the tire. After some searching he realized that apparently, this stolen vehicle's original owner never thought to prepare some spare tire.

He also finds that tire is burst, and completely deflated, they'll need to replace it to continue using the vehicle. He scans the road, but from where he stands, he can't find anything odd.


(I'm still waiting for the other members to post, sorry for my lack of response)

[Rogue 7]

Sam
Watching the road for any hostile or suspicious activity, his gun covering any car that passed (quietly, of course. Civilians tended to get antsy when bullets started flying. A lack of training, perhaps.), Sam focused, hearing the troubles.

"I've got a roll of duct tape in the back. Would that be of assistance?"

[Jesse Drake]

J.J. frowns, and as he looks around, he comments "Gee boys, we best find-ouselves somewhere to buy a tire, and well, this place looks nice... I suppose a small break wouldn't be too bad, while we wait to see what Ol'Hammond had in mind for us."

[Rogue 7]

Sam
"Roger. I will remain here to guard the transportation until you procure a suitable replacement."

Sam settles into the seat, looking a bit uneasy at the town in front of him.

[josh13905]

SNAKE

Snake watches JJ and Sam converse, "Too bad you guys had to finish all those guys, I could use a little action right now." He leans on the side of the car masked eyes sweeping over Sam. I could never be that hardcore, he was born and bred military. His eyes turn towards the sky. " Well what should we do?

[Jesse Drake]

"Well boys, I bet we could get a great meal and a cold drink here... Even you, S.N.A.K.E., why not plug the mouth peace of that mask of yours onto a cold one..." he pauses, hovers over, then elbows S.N.A.K.E. in the side, "Or maybe a hot one even later. Come on boys, there's not much we can do here, and it's not like the vans gonna be unguarded, right." J.J. pauses to look at the silent, almost not there fourth member of the crew, "He won't mind I'm sure." J.J. started hovering his way towards the main part of the city, signaling the others to follow.

[Fri]

You can see a couple of houses separated by large lawns with white wooden fences cluttering not far from your car's resting place. Across them there is a small building with flashing billboard. Apparently it's a motel/diner.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J. grins. "That looks like a perfect place to wait and have a drink. I'm sure that someone there can tell us where we can find a tire." J.J. slowly descnends to the ground. "Who knew being a mercanary you'd get to see such beautiful places like this. It's times like now that I really appreciate my decision. Oh, boys, I forgot, let me see your phones."
J.J. takes the cellphones and attacthes a basic taser pack onto it, which lets the phone double as a taser, and he snaps on an extra battery pack. I searched the books for useless, cheap items I could "manufacture" and give to the team occasionally, like this and pepper spray pens.

[Fri]

@ JJ: No prob. Actually, I was going to get you guys let loose on the equipment, but I thought that this team is supposed to be poor anyway. This team is more built on improvised equipment, I hope you'll see what I mean later

On the way, you see two big burly men in a snazzy black suit. They reminds you on that time when you're tasked to help the 6th airborne company to evacuate a zoo in Qurac. In one drunken celebratory night, one soldier tried to put a tuxedo onto a gorilla. You heard that he still can't walk right now with all the medical advancement in the world.

One of them is crossing his hand as he watches the road. You see the other one is pushing a woman onto a wall. The woman drops her grocery bag as she winces in pain, eyes looking around frantically. But it seems that this isn't the neighborhood's most active hour.

She sees you and you can see her eyes pleads.

[Jesse Drake]

"Hmm, it seems these rather large thugs are hasseling some helpless lady." J.J. flicked on his propulsion pack and flew towards the bad-guys. "Hey gentlemen, I don't know what she did, but I'm gonna have to ask you to let that lady go and possibly find someone your own size to pick on, might I suggest a gorrilla or bear or something."

[Fri]

The town hadn't seen something as unique as this since the explosion of the old beer factory back in the 50s. Too bad there are no one to witness the event.

The giant isn't terribly impressed by the yapping midget.

"Move away little man. This isn't your business at all, if you know what's good for you."

[josh13905]

SNAKE

Snake walks up to the guys and says, "I don't know about my friend but I know what's good for me, a double helping of bad guy." He twirls his sword handle in front of him and faces them, adopting a fighting stance. This should be fun.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

First, he pulls out his miniturized assault rifle, then J.J. stares at the goon hassling the woman for a full round, studying his every movement and getting ready to strike.

[Rogue 7]

Sam

Readying his pistol, Sam calmly aimed at the goon's head, feet firmly planted in a combat stance, arms held level, finger twitching on the trigger.

"I suggest you gentlemen leave swiftly."

[Fri]

"Hey... hey..." said the gorilla as she saw JJ pulls an assault rifle and Sam points a pistol to his head.. "That's kinda over the top, isn't it?" he says, lifting his palms. "It's only a small town domestic matters."

He backs off while still looking at the fully armed people in front of him, looking kinda amused. With body still facing the team, he turns his head toward his partner and whispers something. His partner nods and leaves the lady.

They both dusts their black suits, and walks toward a black sedan without saying anything or looking back.

"Thank you so much." says the woman. Now you can see her better when she's not covered by a giant man in black suit. A blonde woman in his late twenty and a bad case of 80's hair sighs in relief. She's not what you'd call pretty in the hollywood sense, but she got this homely small town look. "I thought I was done for."

[Rogue 7]

Sam

"Not a problem, ma'am."

Sam holsters his weapon and looks up and down the street.

"Would you know where an auto parts store would be located?"

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

J.J. hovers over to the lady and offers his robotic hand, and gives a big smile. "Hold your horses Samson, I'm sure this young lady can give us some answers, but first our job would be to make sure this lady hasn't been harmed. Well ma'm, have you? What were those thugs doing with you anyways? You know, we happen to be able to handle situations like this more than often. I'd even go as far as to say frequent."

[Fri]

"Thank you, sir. You've been too kind." she accepts JJ's hand. "It's rare to see a gentlemen like you these days. Especially gentlemen with guns. At least let me thank you properly. I own that diner and motel over there. In fact, I just bought some groceries when those thugs intercepted me. If you and your friends hadn't got lunch yet, we serve the best food in fifty miles radius. It's the least I could do to thank you."

She turned toward Sam. "You say you need auto parts? I don't really know about those stuff, never owns a car myself, but the boy Johnson that do miscelanneous work in my place sometimes fix the guests' cars. If you need anything, just ask him."

She picks her grocery bag and nod politely, and then starts to walk toward the diner, expecting the fine gentlemen to follow her.

"As for those thugs... Yes, sadly, they're not that surprising for me. Usually they won't risk a bullying in broad daylight. I wonder... Ah sorry, I'm blabbering in the middle of the road like this. We can chat more as you eat."

[Jesse Drake]

J.J. gives a big smile and accepts the offer. "I haven't had a good meal in quite some time, between time in the lab and hanging with these guys, I tend to sustain off of peanut butter and crackers. By the way, do you have a cellphone? No matter, here you go, take mine, I can get another one, and no one has the number. All you do is..." J.J. goes on to explain the various self defense gadgets he was giving her, including pepperspray pens and a "peashooter" mps playwer, his newest gadget. "Just don't load any techno or rap onto that, the dang machine can't compute that and goes crazy. I can contact you when the project's complete."

[josh13905]

SNAKE

"Ever the genius eh JJ?" After their latest confrontation Snake was in a good mood and he felt loose. It was a mistake he could never stop from making back in his academy days. Flipping a button his sword he watches JJ as it makes a series of silent motions sliding into a small handle which he returns to his back.

[Fri]

"Thank you for this self defense gadgets, I'll definitely need it. Though, sorry if I'm rather blunt, but what are you doing with this... weapons and rather dangerous gadgets?" She says in the kitchen counter as she prepares some food.

"I guess they're getting desperate." she continues. "Our neighborhood is the last resisting neighborhood. My father, bless him, was the most respected member here back then when he's still alive, and they figured out people's respect for him may trickle down to me. If I give up, the others might give up too. But there's no way in hell that I'm going to leave this. It's been here since the 20th century, and people still love the food. Why should I move?"

And where is that lazy boy? He'll turn up when he's hungry, but if you feel like it, just look for him in the motel's backroom. He's probably sleeping or something."

[Jesse Drake]

"Eh, don't bother your pretty little head." J.J. explained he was an inventor, and that they were an elite mercanary team.

[josh13905]

SNAKE

We specialize in the, uh, dangerous parts of life, and so we take precautions. If there is anything we can do to help you adjust the neighborhood a little, well, now would be the time to ask. Snake says while leaning on the counter of the place.

[Fri]

After looking around, and noticing that there are no people around (it's a rather quiet hour), she pulls a chair and sits on it.

"Uhm. We're actually a quite peaceful neighborhood. Or at least we used to be. We don't usually need... cough... people with weapon to enforce our safety. But if... say, just if, we need a private investigator of some kind, preferably hard boiled, to do things where official law enforcements can't do a thing, do you guys, by any chance, have any relation to those kinds of people?

You see, up until a few years ago, this is just another cozy little town. But there was this... corporation. I'm not really sure what they actually do. They bought a patch of land in the middle of the town and built a skyscrapper there, the only skyscrapper in this place. And for some reason, they kept buying land and buildings around it, god knows what for. And before you knew it, more than half the town was theirs. Some lived here for their whole life, and didn't want to sell their properties. About a year ago, things starting to get rough.

This is a rather small town, so we don't have a lot of police officer stationed here. But somehow, our old police chief and a lot of his men were 'promoted' and transferred to the big city. The new chief... for some reason he never believes our report on the corporation's 'rough' negotiations. And the corporation never did things in broad daylight that can leave evidence.

Some of us held still, but we're getting nervous. They're becoming rougher and bolder. And just last month, Old Man Winters that lived just around the corner was found dead. The investigation said it was an accident, he was getting diner when he slipped and... uh... a fork pierced through his throat. Benny that got the hardware store stepped on a banana peel and fell to the sewer. He sold his estate and moved out of town a few days after he left the hospital.

I'm not saying that the corporation did that, but... I can't say for sure that it's unrelated to this rather grim business either.

We don't know what to do anymore. So a few days ago, our old priest said that we might need some help. He said that he'll take care of it, but we didn't really sure what's he going to do."

[josh13905]

SNAKE

Ma'am I believe you have yourself a task force. This reminds me of an old flick I saw... I believe it was Mission Impossible. Amazing break in scene. "Perhaps we should talk to this priest and coordinate our efforts." Snake walks to the window and looks out scanning for a church.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

"Well then boys, lets find us a bad-guy... I'm not sure what good a priest would be, but what the hay, it couldn't hurt to be open to suggestions, right?"

[josh13905]

SNAKE

OK then let's get on the move. Snake heads towards the church if the others will follow.

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

J.J. drops down and rapidly walks with S.N.A.K.E., but wonders if he could possibly manage to keep his theories on religion to hisself.

[Fri]

"Uh... and before anything bad happens, I might need to remind you guys. This is basically an idly small town. I mean, we're not exactly asking you guys to blow their building or something. If you do something like that and they catch you or something that connect you with us, they'll call the media and police and everything and they'll get even more advantage.

Of course it doesn't mean I thought you guys will do that.

The church is just on the end of that road. And if you want to go to their office, dunno, making appointment or something, their office is in downtown. Can't really miss it, the only skyscrapper there.

Thanks guys. You'll be paid, I promise. In the mean time, you can stay here. Least I could do. You guys left your car in the road right? If you can find Johnson, he'll help you.. pushing it or something here."

[Jesse Drake]

J.J.

"Hmm, well then, we'd best be looking for this Johnson first then, right? Not much we can do with a flat tire." It was clear J.J. didn't want to deal with a place of religion anymore than S.N.A.K.E. wanted world peace, but he'd keep his thoughts to himself. Besides, what has religion done that he hasn't, even his worthless brother could master cloning, such a silly notion, religion...

[josh13905]

SNAKE

Snake didn't really care which they did first as long as they were pushing forward. I guess we'd better go see Mr. Johnson then.We really just need a tire, I think we'll be able to do the rest ourselves... He asks for a quick description of the man before leaving.

[Fri]

"Oh, you can't miss him. He's a scrawny guy in greasy overall and messed up hair. He should be somewhere around the motel, probably sleeping. The church isn't that far, but if you want to visit the office, you might need your car."