{
    "title": "Attempted Apprehension of Esau Tillmaan",
    "date": "2020-07-27 19:00",
    "reportcode": "GT/GH-200727-091260910",
    "url": "https://teeth.zarquan.fyi/reports/gt-gh-200727-091260910/index.json",
    "description": "△▼△TOP SECRET//SI//DGO△▼△",
    "content": "\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReport No:\u003c/strong\u003e GT/GH-200727-091260910\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAgents:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy Banks, Drug Enforcement Administration\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDr. Louis Ming, neuroscientist\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnst Baldkar, senior computer science analyst, RAND Corporation\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReverend Jeremiah “Jerry” Arnoldson, Federal Bureau of Prisons\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLocation:\u003c/strong\u003e\nEl Paso, Texas\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSummary:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents secured conditional assistance from El Puente de la Esperanza for the care and reunification of an estimated 70–100 detained children. They obtained and provisioned a rental truck, reviewed facility security with Bill and Ted, and prepared to capture Tillman before conducting a nighttime rescue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe apartment ambush failed to achieve immediate control. Tillman identified the intruders as unexpected replacements, recognized Jerry’s rat-bite marks as evidence of supernatural selection, and asserted that a subsequent test required bloodshed. During the ensuing struggle, Tillman’s pistol discharged after being knocked from his hand, grazing Ernie’s calf. Ming subsequently disarmed Tillman but was incapacitated by an accidental pepper-spray discharge.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the reporting cutoff, Tillman remained alive, disarmed, and physically held by Andy and Ernie, but neither handcuffed nor hooded. No sedative had been administered. The facility assault, detainee evacuation, and civilian handoff had not begun.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOperation Report:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e1. Operational position and prior intelligence\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents remained committed to extracting the children held at Frank Harvey Reclamation. Andy’s earlier reconnaissance had established a population of approximately 70 visible detainees; the number of additional younger children remained uncertain.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePrevious surveillance, reviewed at the outset, had documented a handcuffed mother forcibly separated from a small child at the facility. The child remained inside; the mother was driven away.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing and Ernie had completed Tillman’s journal. Tillman attributed his condition to childhood abuse that divided his mental functioning between acquired language and continued contact with an influence he called “the quiet.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis writings linked that influence to a nameless entity hungry for death, particularly the destruction of unnatural beings. He regarded deliberately created sites of suffering and supernatural activity as a means of directing that appetite. The reclamation facility was intended to serve this purpose.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJesse’s support contact favored killing Tillman at a distance before entering the facility. He possessed neither a detention site nor Program resources for holding an unnatural subject.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents retained an interest in interrogation, both to clarify conditions inside the facility and to investigate the recurrence of the phenomenon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA brochure for El Puente de la Esperanza had previously blown across the cemetery and stopped near Jerry. The organization had assisted MASTICATE in Los Angeles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e2. Evacuation planning and civilian contact\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team discussed buses, nearby vehicle staging, and whether the aid organization could collect children directly from the detention facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePotential staging areas included industrial properties near the highway: Texas Tiles Incorporated, the El Paso Municipal Vehicle Storage Facility, and Morgan Kidd Gas Company. Their large parking lots were not publicly accessible. A dirt road connected the area between the reclamation plant and Mesquite Hills.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry favored bringing transport forward once the agents controlled the facility. Andy favored a separate handoff location to limit the organization’s connection to the raid. No location was finalized.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry called the brochure’s number on Sunday and spoke Spanish with a woman who agreed to an urgent appointment approximately two hours later, despite the office’s Sunday closure.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe support contact supplied the name Bill, exchanged contact information with the agents, and departed to conduct reconnaissance.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry attended the meeting alone to limit exposure and avoid intimidating the contact. He wore a clerical collar and identified himself as Jerry.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe office occupied modest premises in a downtown strip mall. The contact was a woman in her early thirties.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry described children separated from their families, poor documentation, and an opportunity to remove them from detention. He requested temporary care and assistance locating their families.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe estimated 70–100 children, ranging from infants to teenagers. The contact stated that the organization maintained a placement and reunification network but would need time to arrange sufficient assistance and paperwork.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen Jerry identified Frank Harvey Reclamation, she acknowledged rumors that part of the property served as a detention facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe explicitly limited the information she was willing to receive. She stated that she could respond to a time and place where children needed help, but that learning of illegal activities would oblige her to report them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry stated that the personnel responsible were violating applicable restrictions and that some children would require substantial help.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe contact agreed that the organization would assist children presented for care. She preferred collection away from the reclamation facility. Jerry initially proposed the facility’s exterior, with timing to follow within approximately a day.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eQuestions about bus rental companies produced no specific referral.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry then referred to her earlier work in Los Angeles and disclosed his connection to people she had encountered before leaving the city. She briefly appeared panicked, became hesitant, and ended the interview while reiterating willingness to help children.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe provided a personal telephone number. After Jerry left, her hands trembled as she lit a cigarette and rested her head in her hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry informed the other agents that they would need to transport the children to the organization themselves.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e3. Transport, detention options, and equipment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team considered charter buses, a tractor-trailer, and rental box trucks. They selected a 26-foot rental truck for a short transfer of the anticipated detainee population.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe truck was obtained and prepared. Supplies included lighting, blankets, items for children to sit on, and bottled water.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents revisited whether to capture or kill Tillman. Ming proposed incapacitating him and presenting him to their Program contact, attempting to force official custody. The proposal was discussed but not implemented.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry questioned whether even Delta Green custody could safely contain Tillman, citing previous instances of circumstances aligning in favor of affected individuals.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie initially favored killing Tillman and concentrating on the rescue. He identified an existing spreadsheet as material that could support subsequent investigation without interrogating Tillman.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team nevertheless adopted an apartment ambush. A previously considered roadside collision was not used.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing prepared for chemical incapacitation. Ketamine was available in a prepared syringe during the eventual confrontation; its acquisition was not otherwise detailed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents discussed interrogating Tillman, obtaining his access credential, and potentially killing him afterward. Staging his death as a suicide in the largely unoccupied apartment complex was also proposed. None of these later actions occurred during the reporting period.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e4. Facility assault planning\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill introduced his partner, Ted, a tall Black man of approximately Bill’s age who spoke little.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents briefed both men on Andy’s reconnaissance and subsequent surveillance:\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour guards had been present during Andy’s daytime visit, with security coverage at the entrance and on the detention floor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAn administrator and a camera-monitoring employee occupied the communications area during the day.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNighttime surveillance, including cellphone observations, suggested two or three guards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMost internal doors required magnetic access cards.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman had been observed using an access credential.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGuards on the detention floor carried pepper spray and Tasers. Firearms had been observed in the armory.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA locked rear area remained unexamined.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team discussed intercepting or disrupting staff radio communications and preventing outside calls. Possession of a facility radio was considered a possible means of monitoring traffic. No interception or jamming was carried out.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill proposed entering through front security with an acquired credential, controlling the entrance, securing the armory, and then dealing with guards on the detention floor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed favored addressing the unknown rear room first, then moving to the armory. His concern was that an unidentified threat might escape or interfere if left unattended.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents raised the possibility that the rear room contained something unnatural. They deferred a final approach until Tillman could provide information.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA nighttime assault was preferred because staffing appeared lower. The agents recognized a limited interval between Tillman’s capture and his expected return to work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill and Ted checked weapons and loaded magazines. The agents prepared their shotguns and sidearms, including weapons already obtained in Oklahoma.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e5. Surveillance trigger and apartment deployment\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed occupied the established hilltop surveillance position and watched for Tillman’s departure. Bill accompanied the apartment operation, prepared to kill Tillman if the apprehension failed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAt approximately 1900 Monday, Tillman left the facility. Ted relayed the departure.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry considered notifying the lawyer of a 0500 handoff. Following discussion, he deferred the call until after the attempted apprehension and interrogation. No pickup time was confirmed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy and Jerry positioned themselves inside Tillman’s small apartment, near the entrance. The doorway restricted the initial approach to one agent.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie and Ming waited nearby in a neighboring apartment that the team had entered. They were positioned to follow the initial apprehension.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents accounted for Tillman’s holstered service pistol. Jerry carried a pistol but kept his hands available for restraint.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eApproximately 20–30 minutes after Ted’s warning, Tillman arrived, ascended the external stairwell, and unlocked his door.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e6. Failed initial apprehension and verbal contact\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy lunged as Tillman entered and caught his jacket sleeve. Tillman slipped out of the jacket, leaving Andy holding it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs Tillman’s arm came free, it struck Andy in the throat. Andy failed to secure Tillman’s weapon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman drew his pistol and pointed it generally toward the intruders. His grip was awkward, and he appeared confused rather than alarmed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe stated that the agents were not the people he had expected, then appeared to recognize one of those present.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie entered and attempted to rush Tillman and interfere with his gun hand. Seeing the pistol caused him to check his movement, and Tillman avoided the attempt.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing followed with his pistol drawn. Andy and Ernie obstructed his line of fire.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy engaged Tillman verbally. Jerry asked whom he had expected. Ernie allowed the exchange to continue; Ming did not fire.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman said he had been waiting for men he knew long ago. Jerry stated that those men were dead and that the current agents were their replacements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman asked about a mark and whether they were “teeth.” Jerry exposed rat-bite marks on his lower leg.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman gasped, then displayed pronounced relief. He stated that the influence heard him, that it had chosen the agents, and that they would feed it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe described marking followed by testing. After Jerry characterized their current situation as testing, Tillman stated that the test had to end in blood and raised his pistol.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e7. Disarmament, injuries, and unresolved restraint\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie struck Tillman’s arm, knocking the pistol from his hand before he could use it deliberately.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Sig Sauer struck the floor and discharged. The bullet grazed Ernie’s calf. Ernie called attention to the resulting bloodshed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman calmly bent down and recovered the weapon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy seized Tillman’s arms and prevented him from directing the pistol. Ming joined the struggle and removed the weapon from Tillman’s hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry attempted to pull a bag over Tillman’s head. Tillman’s continued movement prevented him from doing so.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie then joined Andy in holding Tillman, further restricting his movement.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuring the struggle, Tillman’s pepper-spray canister fell from its belt holster. An unidentified participant stepped on it, causing it to burst and spray Ming directly in the face.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing was holding his own pistol and Tillman’s recovered pistol at the time. The exposure left him stunned and unable to assist immediately.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman attempted to break free but remained held.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy attempted to bring Tillman’s arms behind his back and apply handcuffs. Tillman’s hands repeatedly slipped from his grasp.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry again attempted to apply the bag and rope. Tillman’s stepping and turning prevented successful placement.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAt cutoff, Andy and Ernie continued physically restraining Tillman. Ming remained affected by the spray. Jerry had not secured the hood or rope. No completed search, sedation, interrogation, removal, or termination was established. Bill had not intervened.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAnalysis and Recommendations:\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe capture attempt may itself serve Tillman’s objective.\u003c/strong\u003e His relief followed recognition of Jerry’s marks, not an opportunity to escape. His insistence upon blood was followed almost immediately by Ernie’s injury. A-Cell should consider the possibility that apparent opposition can complete the sequence Tillman expects. His statements remain claims; the wound does not establish that any supernatural test was completed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe incidental injuries warrant correlation.\u003c/strong\u003e Tillman escaped the first hold, struck Andy’s throat, benefited from a dropped pistol injuring Ernie, and remained resistant to restraint while a ruptured spray canister disabled Ming. These events permit ordinary explanations individually. Their concentration around one subject warrants comparison with sealed cases filed under accidental discharge, failed restraint, and improbable survival. Files closed because the instrument of injury appeared mundane may be particularly relevant.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTermination and containment present different unresolved risks.\u003c/strong\u003e Killing Tillman may remove an organizer without interrupting the selection process described in his journal. Keeping him alive may preserve both an intelligence source and an active point of influence. A-Cell should avoid treating either outcome as proof that the underlying mechanism has ended.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe civilian refuge may extend the exposure chain.\u003c/strong\u003e The brochure’s arrival directed the agents toward a person already connected to MASTICATE. Her reaction to the Los Angeles reference indicates continuing distress associated with that history. The connection could be chance; it could also place a previously exposed civilian organization at the next stage of the same process. A-Cell should review the prior Los Angeles contact record before assuming the proposed handoff ends operational responsibility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eChild protection requires follow-through beyond removal.\u003c/strong\u003e Placement and family reunification may disperse witnesses, victims, or individuals affected by the quiet across numerous households. Confidential continuity of care and discreet follow-up should accompany rescue planning. The children’s possible exposure should not be treated as evidence of culpability.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe immediate operation remains unstable.\u003c/strong\u003e Two agents have sustained injury or incapacitation, the target remains incompletely restrained, and a shot has been fired. The civilian receiving arrangement lacks a confirmed time and location. A-Cell should regard the rescue as pending, with medical condition, transport coordination, and the unknown rear room still unresolved.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePriority intelligence remains narrowly defined.\u003c/strong\u003e Any further questioning should clarify whom Tillman expected, what he believes constitutes a completed test, what occupies the rear room, and whether children have been transferred elsewhere. His journal and the existing spreadsheet should remain available for independent comparison. Tillman’s account should not become the sole explanation of events merely because those events appear to accommodate it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cdetails \u003e\n  \u003csummary markdown=\"span\"\u003eSession Notes\u003c/summary\u003e\n  \u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session opened with a recap of the agents’ surveillance of the Frank Harvey facility and their preparations to confront Esau Tillman.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJesse’s promised assistance was not due until Sunday, so the agents had remained in the desert watching the facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOn Friday afternoon, a black SUV arrived carrying a handcuffed young woman and a child barely old enough to walk. The woman resisted when the occupants took the child from her, but the child was brought inside and the mother was forced back into the SUV and driven away.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuring the wait, Dr. Ming and Ernie finished reading Tillman’s journal. Tillman believed that his childhood abuse had divided his brain: one half had painfully learned language and how to function among other people, while the other remained connected to “the quiet,” the silent voice that guided the children.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThrough his studies of mythology, occultism, and physics, Tillman believed he had found evidence of a nameless god that hungered for death, particularly the deaths of things beyond human understanding.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman believed humanity could survive by “lighting fires in the darkness” and directing that hunger toward something worse. He intended the facility to serve as one of those fires.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJesse’s contact arrived on Sunday. He was an older, weathered man whose immediate concern was identifying who needed to be shot. He had no black site or Program resources available and no interest in trying to control the unnatural.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis proposed solution was to kill Tillman from a distance and then enter the facility. The agents instead wanted to capture Tillman long enough to question him and learn whether they could break the cycle.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA brochure for El Puente de la Esperanza, an immigration legal defense organization that had previously helped MASTICATE in Los Angeles, had blown across the cemetery and stopped near Jerry. The agents considered the organization a possible source of help for the detained children.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents resumed discussing how to prepare an assault and evacuation before moving against Tillman.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTheir contact regarded capturing and questioning Tillman as dangerous and did not want to participate directly in that part of the operation.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe intention was to prepare the facility operation in advance so they could move quickly after dealing with Tillman.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry wanted to evacuate everyone they could, although the final scope would depend on what they encountered.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy had counted roughly seventy people inside. The group also discussed an unknown number of younger children who might increase the total.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere were comparatively few adults, and the agents understood that adults did not remain at the facility for very long.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTheir camper van could not transport the anticipated number of children, so they began considering buses and other larger vehicles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group examined possible nearby staging areas for evacuation vehicles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe surrounding highway area consisted largely of industrial properties.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA dirt road ran between the water reclamation plant and Mesquite Hills, the nearest residential community, which also had some commercial development.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNearby industrial properties included Texas Tiles Incorporated, the El Paso Municipal Vehicle Storage Facility, and Morgan Kidd Gas Company.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThose properties had sizable parking lots, but the lots were not open to the public.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry proposed staging transportation nearby, securing the facility, and then calling the vehicles forward once the gates could be opened.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy preferred moving the children to an agreed handoff location away from the facility. He questioned whether the legal organization would agree to enter private property in the aftermath of the agents’ raid.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry acknowledged that the organization might not want to be associated with their methods, but emphasized that the children would still need immediate transportation.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe group decided to contact the organization before settling the handoff arrangements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry called the number on the El Puente de la Esperanza brochure on Sunday around midday.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA woman answered in Spanish, and Jerry responded in Spanish.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe asked whether he needed assistance with an immigration problem.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry said he knew people who needed help and requested an in-person conversation rather than discussing the details over the telephone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlthough the office normally opened Monday through Saturday, she offered to come in that afternoon if the matter was urgent.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry confirmed that it was, and she gave him an address in El Paso and asked him to arrive in approximately two hours.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJesse’s contact left to conduct reconnaissance of his own.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe told the agents to call him Bill.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey exchanged telephone contact information so they could coordinate afterward.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents went to the organization’s office that afternoon.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy suggested limiting how many agents met the woman, both to avoid intimidating her and to reduce the number of people she could later identify.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry agreed to go inside alone.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe office occupied a modest strip-mall storefront with a poster in the window and appeared to operate on a small budget.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman was in her early thirties, with dark hair, and wore a suit jacket, slacks, and practical shoes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe initially gave Jerry a somewhat suspicious look and addressed him in Spanish.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry had given his name over the telephone and put on his clerical collar for the meeting.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeeing the collar, she inferred that he was seeking assistance for someone else.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBefore describing the situation, Jerry established what the agents knew about the organization’s previous involvement with MASTICATE.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents had access to the pertinent information about its earlier assistance in Los Angeles.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThat history included the investigation involving the Slug Squad.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry then checked that he and the woman were alone before explaining why he had come.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry described children who had been separated from their families and were being held in detention.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe said he had an opportunity to get them out but needed someone who could take responsibility for them and help locate their families.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman said that this was among the services her organization provided.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe asked whether the organization would need to take custody because the children’s parents or legal guardians could not be located.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry confirmed that this was the situation and said the documentation concerning the children was poor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe explained that the organization had a support network for arranging temporary homes and working toward family reunification.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry estimated that the group might need help for between seventy and one hundred children, ranging from infants to teenagers.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe estimate included the children already observed and the possibility of additional younger children.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman reacted with surprise at the number.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe said they would need time to arrange care, find people to help, and prepare paperwork.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry asked whether she knew about the Frank Harvey Reclamation facility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe had heard rumors that part of the water reclamation plant was being used for detention.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBefore allowing him to explain further, she set a boundary for their conversation: if someone gave her a time and place where people needed assistance, she did not need to know where they had come from, but she said she would be required to report unlawful activities if she learned about them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry said the ICE agents responsible for the facility were not following even the limited laws that were supposed to govern their conduct.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen she indicated that such problems were widespread, he emphasized that this situation was significantly worse and that some of the children might need extensive help.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe said her organization had the motivation and at least some of the resources to care for the children and help them return home.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe reiterated that if he supplied a time and location where children needed help, the organization would do everything it could.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry initially suggested arranging the pickup outside the reclamation facility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe did not yet have an exact time but expected the operation to take place within the next day or so.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe woman suggested that a pickup elsewhere might be more successful.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry asked whether she could direct him to bus rental or charter services.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe replied that such information was publicly available and that several companies in the city offered those services.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry also asked whether she knew of companies that would be especially unsympathetic to transporting the children, but she did not.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry brought up the woman’s prior work in Los Angeles.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe confirmed that she had been there helping with a lawsuit.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry said he knew the people she had spoken with before leaving the city.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe briefly looked panicked, then appeared to realize he probably did not mean the police gangsters.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlthough she seemed to have questions, she instead ended the interview and became noticeably more hesitant.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe reiterated that if there really were children who needed help, the organization wanted to assist them.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry promised to call once the agents had a concrete handoff location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShe gave him a card bearing her personal telephone number.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry thanked her and told her she was doing the Lord’s work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAfter he left, she took out cigarettes with trembling hands, lit one, took a long drag, and rested her head in her hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry reported the meeting’s outcome to the others.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe organization could receive the children and arrange further care, but the agents would need to transport them to the handoff.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey still needed a sufficiently large vehicle and a firm operational schedule.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe group discussed chartering buses, renting multiple vans, and obtaining a truck.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy had the best stated driving skill in the group, at 50%.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents considered a tractor-trailer before settling on a large box truck.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA tractor-trailer raised questions about licensing and whether any of them had the specialized driving experience needed to operate it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey discussed the possibility of obtaining false credentials, but that would not resolve the practical driving issue.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry suggested a U-Haul-style truck, which would be easier to rent and would not require the same specialized license.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler ruled that a twenty-six-foot truck should accommodate the anticipated group of children for the short trip to a nearby handoff.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents agreed to obtain that truck.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry wanted lighting inside the cargo area, and small battery-powered LED lights were suggested.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey also arranged blankets, things to sit on, and bottled water.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe rest of the day went into transportation logistics, supplies, and planning.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDr. Ming remained uneasy about the operation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe was relieved that they at least had a possible arrangement for the children’s care.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe said he wished they could abduct Tillman, but believed that option had been ruled out.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler clarified that Bill had not forbidden the attempt. Bill’s position was that if it went badly, he would withdraw.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents could still capture Tillman and question him elsewhere if they chose.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group reconsidered the purpose and risks of taking Tillman alive.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy described the original intention: capture him, restrain and interrogate him, and potentially kill him afterward depending on what they learned.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey also considered using Tillman’s access badge to enter the facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne proposal was to station Bill in a firing position so he could kill Tillman if the capture failed or Tillman escaped.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry emphasized that taking Tillman would not by itself resolve the children’s situation; they would still have to deal with the facility’s personnel.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy argued that questioning Tillman could tell them what had been done to the children and what to expect inside.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe also raised the possibility of learning where other children had been sent, which could provide additional locations for the legal organization to investigate.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing was especially concerned about neutralizing Tillman as a person with supernatural powers.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMing proposed incapacitating Tillman with drugs and forcing their Program contact to take responsibility for him.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe suggested arranging a meeting with the contact, arriving with Tillman already subdued, and making the captive impossible to ignore.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis hope was that the Program would then send Tillman to a secure site rather than kill him.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe others noted that the contact would have to come to their location and had already been deliberately looking the other way.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe contact had supplied their connection to the outlaws rather than offering direct Program involvement.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry doubted that keeping Tillman alive would be safe even under Delta Green supervision. He worried that circumstances might eventually align in Tillman’s favor, as they had for other people involved in the case.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing believed Tillman already knew they were coming and suspected that he had something planned.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnie argued for killing Tillman and proceeding directly to the rescue.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe wanted to question Tillman too, but believed that attempting it made the operation more complicated and more likely to fail.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis preferred sequence was to eliminate Tillman, enter the facility, rescue the children, and leave.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe pointed out that they already possessed a spreadsheet that they or others could use for follow-up work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe questioned whether the team had enough resources to manage both a live captive and an assault.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents discussed obtaining an incapacitating drug.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing had pharmacy and chemistry skills, but clarified that he was a neuroscientist rather than a medical doctor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy’s DEA background and criminology experience offered a possible route to finding a seller.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler said Andy could likely locate a dealer with ketamine after a day or two of searching.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe earlier plan to manufacture a minor traffic collision and seize a target after he pulled over was also recalled.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo roadside capture was carried out.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group reviewed Tillman’s movements and chose his apartment as the capture location.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey had been watching the facility for almost a week.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman tended to remain on site for two or three days at a time and was expected to return home on Monday or Tuesday.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis apartment was in an otherwise abandoned complex, making it a possible place to wait for him without nearby residents.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie was more comfortable with an ambush there than with the other capture proposals.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry raised the possibility of staging Tillman’s death as a suicide afterward, but no such action occurred.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe proposed arrangement put Bill outside with a firearm in case Tillman escaped or something unusual happened.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eInside, the agents would try to seize Tillman and restrain and hood him.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy was identified as the team member best suited to making the initial physical grab.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe group also noted that their earlier attempt to gain access to the facility’s computer system had not produced a restored connection.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen the agents met Bill to review the facility operation, they were introduced to his partner.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe partner was a large, tall Black man of roughly Bill’s age.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe spoke little and told them to call him Ted.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents briefed Bill and Ted on the facility layout, staffing, and surveillance findings.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe group reviewed the security personnel Andy had observed during his earlier visit.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne or two guards could be stationed at the entrance.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDuring the day, there had been an administrator in the communications area and someone watching the cameras.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTwo guards had been walking the detention floor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne guard from the security room had escorted Andy inside.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler summarized Andy’s visit as establishing four guards on duty during the day.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNighttime surveillance, including observations based on cellphones, suggested only two or three guards at night.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents knew the armory’s location.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNearly every door other than the bathrooms required a magnetic access card.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy had not seen inside the locked area at the back.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy asked whether Ernie could monitor the guards’ radio traffic.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe radios were thought likely to use encryption.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTaking a radio from a guard was identified as one way to gain access, and there might be spares in the communications room.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe guards were believed to leave their radios at work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie suggested disrupting communications instead.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe group discussed identifying the relevant frequencies even if they could not understand encrypted transmissions.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry emphasized the importance of preventing guards from reporting the attack to their superiors.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo successful interception or jamming occurred during the session.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents reviewed the guards’ observed weapons.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe guards on the detention floor had carried equipment such as pepper spray and Tasers, but Andy had not seen them carrying firearms.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe armory was the only place where he had observed guns.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry suggested that quickly securing the armory could give the attackers a decisive advantage over the small nighttime guard force.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy agreed with the impression that the guards had not appeared especially formidable.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe group confirmed that Tillman had used an access badge when entering the facility, despite also going through the security screening.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBill and Ted proposed different entry sequences.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill favored obtaining a key card and entering through the front security area.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis sequence was to control the entrance guards, immediately secure the armory, and then deal with the guards on the detention floor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed focused on the locked rear room as the largest unknown.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe proposed hitting that area first, eliminating whatever was inside, and then moving directly to the armory.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed reasoned that once the attackers held the guns, the remaining guards would either surrender or be easier to deal with.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy worried that the unknown room could distract them from securing the rest of the facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry warned that its contents might be unnatural.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill and Ted’s concern centered on the possibility of a creature escaping if the room was left until later.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe team deferred the final entry decision until after questioning Tillman.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie suggested using the interrogation to determine what was behind the locked door.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry agreed that the answer could decide which route they took first.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey expected to have only a limited window between capturing Tillman and his next expected appearance at work.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie estimated that this might be around twelve hours.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA nighttime assault remained preferable because fewer people would be on duty.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe intended sequence became capturing Tillman, extracting the necessary information, eliminating the threat he posed, and moving promptly against the facility.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents completed their immediate preparations.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe truck was obtained, loaded, and made ready.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill and Ted checked their firearms and magazines and watched the agents prepare their own weapons.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team had shotguns and sidearms from Oklahoma.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed would watch the facility from the surveillance hill and notify the others when Tillman left.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBill would accompany the team at the apartment location and attempt to kill Tillman if the capture went wrong.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe facility operation would follow within an appropriate window after Tillman had been dealt with.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn Monday evening, at approximately 7:00 p.m., Tillman left the facility.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe had stayed beyond normal operating hours before departing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTed called ahead to alert the others.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents were already waiting near Tillman’s apartment and moved into position.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry considered calling the lawyer with a proposed 5:00 a.m. handoff.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy preferred to wait until after the interrogation, when they would know more about the facility and the likely timing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry noted that the organization also needed advance warning to prepare.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey ultimately deferred the call until after dealing with Tillman, which they hoped would not take much longer.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo definite pickup time was communicated during the session.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe agents arranged the apartment ambush.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman’s apartment was small, with few places to hide beyond the bathroom, a closet, and the area immediately beside the entrance.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry proposed grabbing him as soon as he came through the door.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler confirmed that Tillman had previously been seen with a holstered service pistol on his hip.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry wanted the team to account for which side held the weapon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy and Jerry waited inside the apartment.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie and Dr. Lewis Ming waited nearby in an adjoining apartment that the group had previously broken into, ready to follow them in.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFrom that position they could hear activity through the wall, but did not have a direct view of Tillman’s approach.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoughly twenty to thirty minutes after Ted’s warning, Tillman arrived.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe agents heard his car enter the parking lot.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThey heard him approach using the exterior stairs to the second floor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis key entered the lock.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe doorway’s arrangement meant only one agent could make the initial grab.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy attempted to seize him as he entered.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAndy’s opening attempt critically failed.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe grabbed Tillman’s jacket sleeve.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman slipped out of the jacket almost without breaking stride, leaving Andy holding the empty garment.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy failed to gain control of the gun.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs Tillman’s arm came free, he struck Andy directly in the throat, making Andy choke.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman and Andy both had Dexterity 13, but the Handler gave Tillman priority because circumstances tended to break in his favor.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman drew his pistol before Jerry could intervene.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis grip was not particularly good, but the weapon was in his hand and pointed generally toward the agents.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe looked confused rather than immediately alarmed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe said, “You’re not who I expected.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe then appeared to recognize someone and added, “Oh, you’re the man.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnie and Ming heard the disturbance and joined the confrontation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie rushed through the doorway and attempted to bowl Tillman over while striking or grabbing at his gun hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHis unarmed combat attempt failed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSeeing the gun caused him to hesitate physically, preventing him from fully committing to the tackle.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman stepped aside from the lunge.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry had a pistol with him but had kept it holstered because he intended to grapple Tillman.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing entered behind Ernie with a pistol drawn.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy and Ernie obstructed Ming’s line of fire, and his movement into the apartment used his action. He did not shoot.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe confrontation briefly shifted into conversation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy remained near the door without a drawn weapon and tried to engage Tillman verbally.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing did not want to shoot first.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry asked Tillman whom he had expected.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie allowed the conversation to continue rather than immediately making another attack.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman said he was waiting for men he had known a long time ago.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry told him those men were dead.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry identified the present group as their replacements.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman asked about their marks and whether they were “teeth.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry pulled up his trouser leg and showed the rat bites on his lower legs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman reacted strongly to Jerry’s marks.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe took a quick breath, and his previously detached expression changed to relief.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe said, “It works,” and, “It hears.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWhen Jerry asked what had worked, Tillman said that it had chosen them and that they would feed it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe asked whether they had been tested.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe explained that first they were marked and then they were tested.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry replied that being there already felt testing.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman said the test “must end with blood” and raised his gun.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnie intervened before Tillman could fire deliberately.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing intended to shoot, but Ernie was close enough and faster in the initiative order to attempt a disarm.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie struck Tillman’s arm and successfully knocked the pistol from his hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe SIG Sauer spun away, hit the floor, and discharged.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe bullet grazed Ernie’s calf, inflicting two points of damage.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie shouted, “There’s your blood, buddy.”\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman immediately moved to recover the pistol.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe knelt and picked it up, using his turn to retrieve the weapon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe appeared to be in no particular hurry.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy lunged to wrestle control of the gun from him.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy rolled 05 on his unarmed combat check and succeeded in controlling Tillman’s arm.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman still held the pistol, but Andy prevented him from pointing it somewhere dangerous.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMing helped disarm Tillman.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler confirmed that Ming had ketamine prepared in a syringe.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing chose to secure the gun before attempting to administer it.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBecause Andy already had Tillman grappled, Ming received a +20% bonus to the unarmed combat attempt.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe rolled 35 against a modified target of 40.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith Andy controlling Tillman’s arms, Ming wrenched the pistol out of Tillman’s hand.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing now held his own pistol and Tillman’s recovered weapon.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry tried to pull the bag over Tillman’s head.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman continued resisting despite seeming unusually untroubled by the struggle.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry’s unarmed combat attempt failed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Handler also checked whether Tillman struck Jerry during the resistance, but Tillman’s attempt failed as well.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman’s movement kept Jerry from getting the opening of the bag over his head.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman was described as baby-faced and notably disaffected.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eErnie joined Andy in physically restraining Tillman.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy and Tillman were still standing, stepping and turning as Andy held Tillman’s forearms.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie moved in to help control him.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWith a +20% bonus for assisting the existing grapple, Ernie succeeded.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe got his arms around Tillman and limited his movement so the others could try to secure him properly.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman’s pepper spray fell from its belt holster during the struggle.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSomeone stepped on the canister in the commotion, causing it to burst.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA stream of pepper spray struck Ming directly in the face while he was holding both pistols.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing made a Constitution ×5 check.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe spray left him stunned and in severe pain around his eyes.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTillman tried unsuccessfully to escape the grapple.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe rolled 92 on his attempt to break free.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy then tried to pull Tillman’s arms behind his back and handcuff him.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBecause Tillman was being restrained by more than one person, Andy received a +20% bonus.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAndy rolled 97 against a target of 80 and failed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman’s hands and arms kept slipping out of the positions Andy needed to apply the cuffs.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMing remained stunned on his next turn.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe could not act effectively while dealing with the pepper spray.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe ketamine had not been administered.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJerry made another attempt to secure the bag and rope.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHe received a +20% bonus because the others were holding Tillman.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe attempt still failed.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman continued stepping and turning in ways that prevented Jerry from getting a secure hold.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe session ended during the unresolved struggle in Tillman’s apartment.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTillman had been disarmed and was being held by Andy and Ernie, but he had not been handcuffed, hooded, or sedated.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eErnie had suffered a gunshot graze to the calf for two points of damage.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMing had recovered Tillman’s pistol but was stunned by pepper spray.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eJerry had not succeeded in applying the bag and rope.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe team had not yet conducted the planned interrogation, entered the detention facility, evacuated the children, or confirmed a handoff time with El Puente de la Esperanza.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\n\u003c/details\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\n"
  }