@snipeheart || 2014, Penghu Islands, Taiwan
There weren't a lot of jobs that came across the Guild's table that were overt in their political nature. Mostly jobs came down to private companies contracting for short term solutions in containing outbreaks, or incidents that didn't need to involve the chartered counter-bioterrorism organizations like the BSAA.
This job? Couldn't involve the BSAA.
A drug-smuggling sting gone wrong in the Penghu Islands, off the coast of Taiwan, resulting in an outbreak of C-virus both in the crew of the fishing boat used to smuggle the infectious agents, and the coast guard that conducted the sting... and some of the military that had been called in to reinforce the guard as well as contain the outbreak.
Intelligence given to their company indicated J'avo on the vessel, and C-infected zombies and their mutations within the coast guard response and military outfit.
The presence of J'avo? Given the low-infectivity of C-virus... Hawk had the suspicion that the infection among the crew was deliberate.
Was it another situation similar to the PLA in Edonia? There wasn't a way to know for certain, but their contact seemed convinced that this was an attempt by foreign intelligence to push for reunification.
Whether it was, or wasn't... that still was a politically messy conclusion to jump to out of the gate. But Hawk couldn't blame them, either, given the country's lack of UN recognition and current push within the charter to exclude Taiwan from the WHO.
And the BSAA's UN charter pretty much guaranteed they couldn't respond without China's input or request- which would legitimize the mainland's claim over the island.
Mess for them, money for the mercenaries. Potential international incidents aside, it seemed well worth the time. And the Guild had a personal interest in C-virus. An old friend was tracking down all that remained of the Family's holdings, and a new guest was learning how to manage the mutation incurred, and how to live again.
Given the terrain and the presence of intelligent BOWs, it seemed the perfect job to have snipers to cover the assault team's insertion and extraction.
---
"Y'know, I think once we clear out this place, we should stick around and have a mini-vacation. Beautiful place, here. Lot's to do," Hawk chirped.
He unlocked the case for the sniper rifle for Piers before shifting his focus to his own tools. He set his radio to the side, and unfolded a tripod for his scope, put out a waterproofed and laminated note-book with erasable marker, a laser rangefinder, and his environmental reader.
Below and out of sight of the moored fishing boat, the assault team was getting ready and relaying progress over the radio.
"Bet you're happy to be out of the snow."
