AZTLAN security log
"hunt for the Chac mool"

Aztechnology Security Database

Access Classification: QUETZICOATL

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Download:security/Aztlan/commentary/rebels/Chicago

CrossRef:security/Aztechnology/magic/artifacts/#147

<passive alert>

An analysis of incursion-related events from Jan. 2055 - ongoing reveals ties to Chicago area expatriates and rebel supporters <fast scan..... 4mp browsed> leading to a preliminary team profile and the issuance of extra-territorial court writs.

>>>>>(What the good Colonel does not know is that the above events trace back to the treason of Celeste X'echihe, a graduate of Reseach Team Macauitl Tlatoani. Her reasons for stealing artifact #147 are still unknown, but her actions resulted in the attention of far too many groups: Tir Taingire, Knight Errant, Alcaetrix the Dragon, a Nosferatu named "Nemesis", and the Knights of Rage all had interests in possessing the Chac Mool (and these are just the ones we know of).
The terrorists were approached with offers of payment and incentives from all 5 groups, but their primary motive seems to have been pathologically rooted in loathing for the state religion of Aztlan. Additional motivation and information may have been provided by failure to properly bind free spirit Selene, allowing it to manipulate the pagan members of the gang.
Initial contact of the terrorists with Celeste and the artifact occurred in Chicago, related to Aztechnology extermination of rebel-supporting gun-runners. Terminated terrorist Xochi initiated efforts to investigate the executions, which, in combination with information from Celeste and inquiries from the above mentioned groups, led to attempted intervention in our recovery of the Chac Mool by Selene and a bound blood spirit. Recovery was 100% succesful, and the artifact had been bonded/activated, allowing Celeste to act as a Host. Amazingly, this group pursued the artifact and Celeste to Aztlan, with no apparent intelligence on their location. Selene may have contacted them once again in Cuba, providing additional information. Terrorist Xochi re-established contacts with gun runners for the expatriate community of Chicago there as well.
-MC)<<<<<

Insertion was achieved via Banshee from the Carib League, most likely in concert with an arms shipment to the rebels--later conection to other rebels supports this. The Banshee was downed, but subsequent ground contact reveals that this was probably a ruse, the "wounded bird" ploy. They neutralized our fast response squad, including the unfortunate loss of Captain Moxaptchal, a feathered serpent. But their reliance on captured vehicles allowed us to set up an effective ambush, leading to the capture of Rook, an employee of Alcaetrix. However, rebel forces prevented effective mop up of the rest of the team. It is believed either Tir agents or a rebel contingent then escorted them to Tenochtitlan, where they launched an insane assault on the Teocalli of Huitzilopochtli, coinciding with the end of the Courtball championships, for the purpose of rescuing Rook. This is tactically confusing, as more than half of the assailants died in this attempt, successful as it may have been. Kidnapped personnel were used as hostages to ensure safe escape. They most likely had help leaving Tenochtitlan, as the police and military had made locating them top priority. Our reluctance to publicize what descriptions we had at that point may have hindered this effort.

>>>>>(Again, thanks to the military spin docs for covering our butts. In fact, the extraction of the presiding priest at the games has serious implications given this team's connections to numerous magical interests. He is a rogue Gestalt mage, and the extraction only a cover so we would not execute him at the first sign of trouble. He also may have been the team's contact for information regarding Celeste's location. Records revealed she downloaded rigger protocols for the temple, which then allowed terrorist Leggy to kill our rigger in neural combat and stop effective intervention while the team proceded to the temple's apex, hindered only by mystical opposition. The chaos of the riots caused by the wraith (apparently contacted by the priest) enmeshed the guards outside the temple proper and made thier response impossible.
The terrorists' next action was, of course, the assault on your private villa. For security reasons, these records have been kept from the government, much as the villa's presence itself was.
Word amongst the underground is that this was indeed an assassination attempt. Obviously, you were not and are not at serious risk--your magical protections are far beyond the reach of such shadowscum. Indeed, their true purpose was the abduction of Celeste. Your capture of the three who attempted to pass themselves off as paranaturalists revealed as much. Still, some points can be made:

1. Penetration was from some kilometers off, by means of direct movement through the ground. This may have been achieved by a great form Earth elemental or some other paranormal. Seismic sensors, underground spirits, or more extensive wards might have provided an earlier warning as to their presence. Once alerted, your guards responded admirably. However, had they not had previous intelligence, things might have gone much more poorly.
2. Better anti-air defense is a necessity--although your paranaturals performed well, the rigger was talented enough to get 2 drones in, and we had little to prevent the use of more. While not a threat to you personally, they migh have been had the group been better equipped, or focused on your assassination. As is, the drones knocked out primary communications and tied up a portion of ground response.
3. Threat containment should be emphasized by the use of physical and magical barriers.
4. Threat neutralization should be linked to the above elements of detection, prevention, and containment. While not entirely autonomous, it should retain autonomous capability.

Clearly, the age and reclusiveness of your villa provided unique security problems. It's secrecy was it's primary asset, but it is recomended that in the future intelligence-sensitive assets be maintained in a standard facility, barring special requirements. -MC)<<<<<

The terrorist group next surfaced in the San Sebastian region, 150 km NW of Tenochtitlan. They had been operating for some time, hiding among the rebels. Ground, air, and magical patrols in the countryside were stepped up as results of incidents on the routes between San Sebastian and Tenochtitlan. This included the theft of several vehicles, the destruction of a checkpoint and its patrol, and a later raid on a highway patrol station. This last seems to have been a supply mission. As a final preparation to assisting the rebels, they somehow managed to steal a "Lobo" class LAV from the town's military base, and also kidnapped the pilot. This Lobo was used in their escape from national territory, during which they shot down several fighter jets and were hit twice. It is to be assumed that Leggy, the pilot, is a combat trained vector thrust pilot.

>>>>>(Ironically, the attack on the cop station was one of their least succesful efforts--the cops blasted out "Mongoose's" wires, and the runners had little success stealing the police vehicles. Shortly afterwords, patrols located several spies who were surveilling the Teocalli near San Sebastian. These spies turned out to be Rook and a cadre of semi-trained rebels. They imediately turned him over to the Gestalt members preparing for the linking of the San Sebastian Teocalli. A free blood spirit was used to possess Rook's nearly dead body, who then tricked locals rebels into leading it to the rebel's hideout in some old silver mines. This worked well, until Mongoose pointed out that Rook himself could not speak the rebel's language. After killing as many rebels as possible, it returned to us, at which point the rebels bugged out.
Their assault on the temple was launched several hours later from some unmapped tunnels that lead into the temple compound. With the Lobo running air cover, we were unable to provide support to the troops, and the site was overun.
Had it not been for a matrix worm that infected Xochi's Cyberdeck when they attacked the Teocalli of Huitzilopochtli, we might never have traced them beyond San Sebastian. As it was, the encounter with the fighters and satellite photos painted a pretty good picture, but the worm gave us a big edge in surprise. This edge allowed us to rescue our pilot and sucessfully capture Mongoose for interrogation. The same attack resulted in Xochi's death. The failure to capture any others leads me to rate this group at the highest threat level. No assets should be expended in direct confrontation unless overwhelming force is available.
Interesting, and greatly annoying, is the fact that later interrogation of Mongoose revealed that the team did not profit from the sale of the Chac Mool. It was, instead, destroyed by Shetani despite Mongoose's attempt at intervention. Their profit was the result of the sale of ancient gold artifacts to Carib League enchanters, and was stashed in a coded acount. His share, cut into a separate acount, was easy pickings, but the Bank's ice made retreiving the rest pointless. Our attempts to exploit his resentment of this were not overly succesful--he seemed completely apathetic, apparently feeling he would die as a result of his failure to return the artifact to Nemesis. This begs the question as to why such an intense campaign was waged to rescue him.
Since the Carribean League's eviction of our operatives, we have continued to covertly support several Petro practicioners on smaller islands, allowing us good access. The fortress we helped two of these houngans establish was recently attacked by this team. They were unsuccessful at any serious penetration, but bombed the ritual site, killing many practicioners, the priest, and one of our bounty hunters. Chicago operatives reported the presence of the group there soon afterwords, allowing us to stirke when they returned to Mongoose's home (strangely enough, without him). However, only a few special agents were there, and the runners fought them off.
-MC)<<<<<