Internal Affairs

No one would accuse Bill 'Dozer' Barnum, AKA Bill Sheridan, of being a contractor but all that time spent in the Middle East building schools for undereducated and under appreciated girls did not go to waste. Sipping coffee, while still managing to make a show of fishing, the veterens eyes subtly shifted between the house plans on his phone and the structure across the bay. He was by no means a professional engineer but he had learned how to read a 'blueprint' and the only logical place in his mind for a safe room was in the middle of the house, off the kitchen if it were located on the ground floor or above the bearing points in the kitchen on the upper floor in the closet of the master bedroom.

---

Sheridan's lips fluttered as he blew out a breath.

"Keep trying to come up with something clever, but that safe room keeps tripping me up," he said, "If we had, like, a month prep we might be able to come up with something, but right now we're probably better off keeping things simple."

A look at the map again.

"Get past the outer layer, punch through as fast as we can, grab the guy, get on the yacht, drive away."

A tilt of the head, "And we might have an opening. The neighbors don't seem to have nearly as much security. Sneak in that way, climb over the wall," a grit of the teeth, "Hope there isn't a surprise in the vegetation, bee-line it to the house."

South Basin - Key Biscayne, FL

"The yacht could be a problem unless we can find keys for it. I know my father used to keep a spare set of keys hidden on the boat. He didn't want to miss a day on the water just because he forgot his key at home. But we'd still need to find it. In any event, once we are clear of the docks, I'd want to ditch the yacht, maybe rendezvous with Nadya in this thing and transfer the target over before taking them to a safe house."

Mykola sighed before continuing, "It's not my favorite plan but I don't see any alternatives. Come, let's go see if I can get suitable disguises for everyone."

---

"Hmm. Maybe something French Canadian? Voici, je mange ma valise. Yeah, maybe not..."

Viscayne Luxury Condos - Miami, FL

Concluding their 'fishing trip' around lunch time, a clear(er) picture of what they were up against, the team parked their rented boat back at the marina with the understanding they would be back again later ... they had been told night fishing was better. It took little time to find the 'functional' navy cargo pants and tactical sweaters similar to what the security guards were wearing and a quick search of the internet found the design of the badge, mimicked with fabric paints. Hopefully they would stand up to scrutiny in the dark or at least long enough for them to get the drop.

From what they could see from the water and a slow drive by on the road, the neighbors house was much like the rest of those in the neighborhood. That is large with well manicured and maintained yards. There did not appear to be any preparations for a gathering, at least no caterers had been spotted nor frantic yard maintenance, and they had seen the lady of the house go in and out of the property in her obnoxiously pink Porsche about her daily Saturday routine - which seemed to consist of the gym, coffee, and later that afternoon shopping. The husband returned early afternoon, clearly a workaholic by the business suit ... on a Saturday.

Whether Mykola might know the habits of Miami's wealthy or not, Stephen certainly did. He could probably guess the couple would go to dinner at an overpriced, reservation only restaurant, perhaps hit a Miami night spot if either one wished to be seen, and would return home before midnight ... and depending on the vintage perhaps a bit of 'desert' before turning in.

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Undisclosed Safe House

The agents gathered around a table, a cobbled together map of the target area spread across it.

"So me, Bill, and Nik move in after dark, say 9 o'clockish. We move to the fence here, make our way over, cross the yard and into the target house. If we are spotted, we pass ourselves off as security and try to neutralize the threats silently. Once inside, we try to find our target, explain the situation and hope to convince him to come with us, preferably willingly. We then make our way to the yacht docked outside to make our escape. From our earlier recon, it appeared security teams did not have any other watercraft at their disposal so once we are at sea we should be able to rendezvous with Nadya, ditch the yacht and make our back here."

Mykola looked at his companions, his expression showing just what he thought of their chances of pulling this off, but they didn't have many other options. "Unless someone has some better ideas?"

---

Undisclosed Safe House

Mykola laid out a sensible plan, Nik and Nadya meeting the 'international arms dealer's' gaze, their faces betraying they had similar thoughts on their chances. Nadya shrugged, the sigh that followed perhaps disappointment that she would not be in on the immediate action. Though someone would need to pilot the rented boat and Fenris would have been more of a hindrance than help.

"What are we going to do with our guest once we bring him back here?" Nik asked, "Do we trust placing him in custody? Our covers will be blown real quick if it's discovered he's in WitSec."

---

Undisclosed Safe House

Clang

"Oh dangit," Sheridan said, sitting up at his makeshift bench, weapon fabrication tools strewn about. On the bench was various parts bought from various hardware stores. What those parts weren't was a functional fixed suppressor for his rifle.

"Don't panic, I can fix this," he raised his hands, "Just need to... take this back apart..."

He lifted his head, "Oh, um, our hopeful guest," he shrugged, "Don't have to say we're law enforcement, just that it's in our interest to keep him alive for now. At the very least, faking his death is probably safer, considering we just broke into his place and took him.

"Which'll be easier if I can get this thing made by then..."

Undisclosed Safe House

The slightest of nods was Nik's only indication that he accepted the veteran's response, taking a bite from an apple as he looked on with an appraising eye over Sheridan's work as he met his stare. It was then, that Bill noticed under the light of his makeshift bench that the somewhat fashionable and rougish coat the thief never seemed to be without wasn't simply black but a pattern ... that probably worked to an advantage at night. Catching his eyes on his coat, Nik smirked, winking as he took another bite of the apple and walked over to the table where Mykola was still pouring over the plans.

"I noticed on our fishing excursion this morning that there was a vacant lot down the street from the neighbors house," he said to Mykola while speaking loud enough for everyone's benefit, "Nayda could drop us off with minimal suspicion and we could walk in from there. She should still have plenty of time to return to the boat and meet us out on the Bay." His eyes met Mykola's, his expression saying if we make it out to the Bay.

Nadya moved to the table as well, grunting her agreement as she laid her cane and pepper spray on the paper covered surface. "These should help ... tasers on each," she explained as she demonstrated both.

Grinning Nik picked up the can, with his long hair and long coat looking more like he belonged on the streets of New Orleans than Miami and solicited a comment from Nadya saying as much.

Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, FL

Subtly Nadya pulled over and let the three man team that would take the out of favor crime boss from his home before pulling away, swiftly driving away to get the boat where she hoped to meet up with them later with some less than optimistic remarks in Russian on their chances that got an amused snort from Nik as the car doors were closing.

The street was dark, the only lights coming from the houses lining either side, as the made their way towards the neighboring house. Small glowing lights lined the driveway, the light above the front door and a few select inside indicating that the owners were probably out and just beyond the double entrance they could see the driveway, it's gate closed though a security guard clearly visible stationed at the front door.

Pointing towards the gable of the garage Nik whispers "There's a motion sensor on the light."

---

Having spent most of the trip in embarrassed silence, having completely failing to finish making a suppressor for his rifle (and almost busting one of his tools in the meantime), Sheridan finally smirked at Nadya's comment about their chances as he tugged at the dorky tacti-neck he was wearing.

"Look on the bright side," he said as he hefted the bag carrying his armor and AUG, holding his NVGs in his off hand, "Worst that can happen is that you guys die and I get in trouble for it."

He looked around at the glances.

"Well if I die, I won't care about anything anymore," he wiggled his head in a matter-of-fact-way, "Duh."

Sheridan looked through the NVGs as they walked up to their entry, before putting them away as Nik pointed.

"There's a motion sensor on the light."

"Well, good as Mickey is, I can't see him bluffing a light to go back off. I say we risk the guard."

Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, FL

"Agreed. If we can't sneak past a guard that is effectively blind . . ." Mykola let the sentence unfinished as he moved forward.

420 S. Mashta Drive, Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, Fl

Cautiously and staying towards the well manicured shoulder of S. Mashta Drive the trio entered the neighboring yard to the target house, their view of the seemingly unaware security guard stationed at the front door soon quickly obscured by vegetation and eventually the mansion. The fence surrounding the lot seemed more for aesthetics than security, being constructed of decorative metal and barely waist high. Typical of the rich and famous, or at least the rich enough to own the size of homes of Mashta Island, privacy was valued, meaning heavy landscaping bordered both sides of the black steel fence. Decorative lights on either side of the three garage doors cast soft pools of light upon the decorative stamped concrete driveway glimpsed through the vegetation. The garage blocked their view of the security guard stationed at the front door while landscaping obscured their view of the guards patrolling the green space between the back of the house and the water, the door to the garage according to the plans a short thirty feet away. Perhaps not as practiced at sneaking around as Nik, they seemed to be in the clear thus far ... now just get over the fence as quickly and quietly as possible.

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420 S. Mashta Drive, Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, Fl

Mykola waited as Nik made his way over the fence first before making his own way after him, alert for any indication they had been noticed.

400 S. Mashta Drive, Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, FL

Perhaps finding comfort in Nik's experience or their meticulous planning, the burly FBI agent and corporate sneak carefully climbed the short decorative fence dividing the properties ever wary of the patrolling guards. The wide openness of the driveway, with its warm pools of light from the ornamental exterior lights afforded a few nervy moments as they cautiously crept across the driveway to the side door of the mansion's expansive garage. Standing under the soft light of the wall sconce beside the door did they realize that the had somehow avoided triggering a security light above the garage. Nik shrugged at their alarmed looks, a wry smirk tugging the corners of his mouth as he began to inspect the door.

With a wink of the eye, the roguish thief reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out his lockpicks and made short work of the doors simple tumbler lock. Smirking he opened the doors, sweeping his arms towards the dark interior of the garage in an after you motion only to have the smile fade and his arms widen in alarm at the telltale ding a security system makes when a door is opened, his eyes drifting to the magnetic contact plate at the top of the door ...

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400 S. Mashta Drive, Mashta Island - Key Biscayne, FL

Mykola motioned towards Bill and pointed towards the door and waited for him to enter before following him in.

Aaaaand we're off.

With a grimacing smirk and a quirk of an eyebrow, Sheridan smoothly stepped into the lead.

Really with I had time to dig my NVGs out, but we need to keep low drag right now.

Garage - 400 S. Mashta Drive

Quickly the trio entered the dark interior of the expansive garage, the only light coming from the exterior through the half window of the garage door Nik was closing. The garage was neat and organized, the three luxury vehicles dominating the space, the floors swept and open. No sooner had the door closed when the door to the homes interior opened, light suddenly filling the space with a flick of a switch.

A large and confused dark skinned man stood in doorway, his eyes taking in the trio noting the uniforms. "What are you doing in here," he bellowed in a thick Haitian accent, "You are supposed to stay outside."

Garage - 400 S. Mashta Drive

Mykola nodded towards Bill. "Hansen here thought he heard something moving in the dark. I told him he was probably just hearing things until we heard the door open. We should probably take a look around unless you think you've got it handled."

Garage - 400 S. Mashat Drive

The burly Haitian's eyes swept the well lit interior of the spacious and neatly organized garage. The three of them could see as well as the thug that the room offered little in the way of hiding. "No," he said clearly not buying the story as his hands made a sweeping motion towards the garage side door indicating they should move, "I have things handled from here." The look on his face making it clear he expected them to proceed him to the door.

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