DAY 12 – APRIL 29th 2000
NORTH-EAST of DOBRODZIEN, POLAND – DAY
“Are you sure that’s it?” asks LED handing the binoculars to his comrade.
“Positive” answers ALEX while scouting “there was a boot outside that got my attention, but we can’t see it from this angle, though we can see everything else”
The group has found a hidden spot about 150 meters from the cave, and now LED and ALEX are observing its entrance, while NASCAR and DONNA are tasked with security.
Minutes go by in the cloudy day, with the observers taking turns and the binoculars always trained at the cave.
“How long are we going to sit here and just observe?” asks ALEX.
“As long as it takes” says LED slowly, his eyes still pressed against the lenses “I can’t say what I’m looking for, I’m acting on a gut feeling here” he then passes the binoculars to ALEX “I’ll know when we see it”
LED steps back a few feet and takes a sip of water from his canteen while looking at the rest of the group: NASCAR is crouched in between a rock and some thick bushes, his M249 pointed at the ground while he chews on a small stick. His Kevlar helmet can be seen slowly turning as he scans the area.
DONNA is seated on a dark patch of grass, with her back leaning against the grey trunk of a pine tree. She has her assault rifle on her legs and her eyes keep moving from one place to another without her head turning.
“Uh, not sure if that is what you were looking for, but it is definitely something” says ALEX, who’s prone at the base of a tree, elbows on the ground as he props up the binoculars.
“Talk to me” says LED getting closer. From his point of view the cave entrance is unchanged.
“Two armed soldiers just entered the cave, both with assault rifles. One had a Polish uniform, the other a dark brown jacket over Russian fatigues, both had a yellow armband with… something on it, I cannot tell. Nobody else in sight”
“Keep watching”
LED turns to the other two comrades and briefly whistles twice, with a higher pitch on the second note. NASCAR and DONNA both turn to the LT.
LED puts two fingers in front of his eyes, points in the direction of the cave, lifts two fingers on his right hand and then uses the thumb and pointer to make the shape of a gun. The other two nod in return.
LED gets the binoculars and a couple of minutes go by without any changes in what they see. Then he watches the two armed men emerging from the darkness of the cave and stopping in front of it.
“They’re out” he says.
The two men are joined by a third one and they start talking, sometimes gesturing towards the cave.
“We got a plus one”
WITH the EYES of the REFEREE [click to expand]
Time for a RECON roll for LED: he has the Intelligence specialty, allowing him to gather intel with a successful RECON roll. Story-wise the group is seeing everything I wanted them to see, so this roll is just to see if the specialty applies. He rolls with +2 (active use of binoculars).
- LED rolls RECON [D12+D10] = 0 SUCCESSES (rolled 3 and 4)
He won’t push it.
“They’re talking. Possibly about what’s in the cave”
“Or what is not in the cave” adds ALEX.
“Right”
The three men all turn to their left and remain still briefly, then they all nod. The man in the brown jacket points around a couple times, then they all exit LED’s field of view.
“They’re out of sight, and I think there’s more we couldn’t see”
“So what now?” asks ALEX.
“They came out of the cave empty-handed, so I think our contact wasn’t in there”
“Do we wait until she gets here?”
“Yes, we do. Question is: will they wait as well?”
[Fifteen minutes later]
“What if she saw them coming, and she’s now hiding?”
“Then she’ll be around here” says LED “the real problem is if they have taken her and she led them to the cave”
ALEX takes a sip from his water bottle; he and LED are on watch as NASCAR is tasked with observing the cave and DONNA acts as a second set of eyes.
“Then she won’t show up”
“Right, so we either leave her to her fate or we track our friends out there and see where they lead us” says LED.
DONNA quietly whistles to attract LED’s attention; as she sees him turning, she asks “how long since last contact?”
LED checks his watch “one-seven minutes”
DONNA nods and resumes watching the cave “you got that?”
“Yeah” whispers NASCAR, his eyes pressed against the binoculars. “I don’t like it DOC; LT said those men had armbands, and that means they are part of a group, or a unit. It means they’re organized”
“Agreed, you think they’re still around?”
“If they didn’t find what they were looking for, then they are. If they did, they’re gone”
“So what do we do?” asks DONNA.
“It’s too soon to make a move for the cave; LT is playing it safe and that’s fine by me. This part here is called waiting”
“I just hope we aren’t waiting for Godot” says DONNA to herself.
“Who?” asks NASCAR.
“Forget it, keep watching”
Another few minutes pass and the vegetation starts oscillating as a gentle breeze mounts.
“Well, well” says NASCAR all of a sudden “we have a visitor heading for the cave”
DONNA turns and squeezes her eyes “yeah, I see someone; want me to get the LT?”
“Yeah, switch with him, please”
A few seconds later LED crawls next to NASCAR “what do we have?”
“Single female, pistol, backpack, civilian clothes, she’s looking around, getting closer to the entrance”
LED observes the tiny figure in the distance.
“And she just entered” adds NASCAR “bad move girl, it’s way too soon”
“If our friends are still around, it’s their time to make a move” says LED “keep watching”
In less than a minute, the duo observes two armed men taking position at the entrance, briefly stall, then the woman coming out of the darkness with her hands raised. LED takes the binoculars and confirms she is indeed the woman he saw back at WARREN’s HQ.
The armed men take the woman’s equipment, then the third man in the brown jacket shows up followed by a fourth man who stands in front of the woman for some time.
“That dude seems to be in charge” says NASCAR passing the binoculars back to LED.
“Agreed” comments LED “or at least he seems to have questions for her. And I don’t think he’s getting any answers”
The woman is cuffed with her hands behind her back, then the apparent leader seems to issue some orders. One of the soldiers briefly exits LED’s field of view and returns with a couple of backpacks in his hands, plus another on his back, while another takes a leak near the cave’s entrance.
“They’re getting ready to move” comments LED observing the scene.
“I know that look LT, you’re thinking something”
“And that gives me a particular look?”
“No, you always have that look”
“So what… never mind. We need to know which way they’re going” LED turns and snaps his fingers twice; once ALEX and DONNA are looking at him he says “get ready to move”
“What’s the play here?” asks NASCAR.
“They can’t move fast with a prisoner. I say we see where they’re going, double time them, and set up an ambush”
“What if they have an encampment close by, and there’s more of them there?”
“With all those backpacks?” LED shakes his head “no, this looks like a long-range foot patrol to me”
“Makes sense” agrees NASCAR.
LED turns towards the others “gather ‘round”
Everybody huddles up right behind NASCAR who keeps his eyes on the armed men and their prisoner; LED briefly explains the plan.
“You sure we want to attack them? We don’t know who they are” observes ALEX.
“We are going to set up an ambush, but we’re not going to spring it unless it’s necessary. A firefight will be our last resort. I want to force them to hand us the prisoner, and then let them go”
“Is this woman so important?” asks NASCAR turning briefly.
“If she knows something about that chalice, if think it’s better if the current owners know it; not whoever those men answer to. I’d like to know who might come after us and why. Questions?”
Silence follows, interrupted by DONNA “let’s go save this lady” she says laconically.
“They’re moving” says NASCAR.
“Okay, I’ll open, then ALEX and DOC” says LED “NASCAR, you close”
“Copy” they all answer at unison.
Once LED and ALEX have started moving, NASCAR steps next to DONNA.
“We’re setting up an ambush but we are not shooting anybody… great”
“Good way to make some friends” she says.
“Or some enemies”
FINAL COMMENTS
The players spotted their contact, the woman who – probably – sent them the mysterious note. Unfortunately, they cannot talk to her yet, as another unknown party appears to have taken an interest in the cave and its lone explorer.
A plan has been quickly devised: follow them, ambush them, and force them to release their prisoner. We’ll see the Persuasion to Ranged Combat ratio required.
Referee’s hat on: I’m informing my players that the cave, and what is/was in it, probably has some meaning that surpasses what their eyes can see, and that the chalice in NASCAR’s backpack may carry a deep significance. If not for the players, then definitely for someone else.