NEUROCAM ASSIGNMENT ­ NCI ­ 7061/01 ­ [COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE INTERCEPT] REPORT
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Operative: XXXX
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Mission Status: Success
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Report:
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I arrived on location at approx. 5PM, Sunday 20 Feb. A football game was in progress at the Telstra Dome, and as such a number of people were parking in designated areas on North Wharf Rd. The parking attendants had been alerted to our presence, as I was questioned when I arrived. The attendant who spoke to me commented that a number of people had asked if this was North Wharf Rd, and where the Bolte Bridge was. He was most interested as to what type of gathering was taking place. Under questioning, I replied that a very small rave was about to start.

On location under the Bolte Bridge a number of people were fishing from the Wharf. There we approximately 4 small groups of fishermen, none of which had any significant catch. Already on site was a small group of Operatives, around 8, all prominently displaying their Neurocam Identifiers. One my way to the location I passed 3 distinct groups of Operatives making their way to the base of the Bolte Bridge. Within a few minutes of arrival, these groups had caught up and we had about 20 Operatives on site.

Chem had taken it upon himself to 'lead' this particular group, and no Operatives seems to have a problem with this. He complied a list of all Operatives present, possibly including their arrival time and order. Of the Operatives present, I recall:

Myself
Chem
Xade
Jojo
Plasmo
Bunny
Binkies
Jonathon Wrigley
Dubya
Delta
Aliask
04
American Guy

This only represents about 50% of those present. In hindsight, I should have obtained a recording device of some description in order to take notes, make audio and visual recordings. I will not attend another mission without such.

After 5 minutes of waiting we were up to 22 Operatives and had reached the start time of the mission of 5:15PM. We broke off into a number of groups and began searching the area. I started with a small group on the wooden walkway located on the South side of the Wharf. Approximately 5 minutes later, not having located anything of interest, the signal was given that something had been found.

Moving to the NW edge of the Wharf, a glass bottle containing an orange liquid and a Neurocam business card was located. The bottle was tied to a string an suspended from the edge of the Wharf. The card inside had a 6 digit code written on the blank side - 236 405. At the same time, another group had located a black womens handbag near the bridge pillars, containing a change of clothes, pantyhose and a brown wig. This was replaced to its original location.

After examining this, we again broke off into groups in order to search the area. I began checking the N and E sides of the Wharf, before making my way through the chain link fence into the abandoned control tower, where I was joined by Plasmo and another operative - possibly Dubya. About 10 mins was spent searching inside and outside the tower, including a number of small rooms, access panels and the like. No objects were located.

By this time, a number of fisherman began approaching us as asking what we were doing. As far as I am aware, no critical information was divulged.

Leaving this area I began making my way to the E side again and was searching the SE area when another signal was given that the second object had been found. At this point, 25 mins of search time remained.
The entire group made their way to the furthest point south, the last pillar of the Bolte Bridge. Here, in a manhole approximate 3 meters off the ground, could be seen the edge of a silver briefcase. A number of Operatives returned to the S edge of the Wharf to retrieve a previously discovered wooden ladder. As the group held the ladder steady, the lightest member was chosen to retrieve the case. At this time, two very late Operative arrived on scene.

The case was opened using the combination from the bottle, and inside a silver tape recorder was found. The message was played, but wind conditions did not allow the entire group to hear it. Operative Aliask made a recording of the message and later distributed it as an MP3 to those who requested it.

At this time, two operatives came forward with 2 written notes found inside a Coke bottle. One referred to the ladder, there other to a 'Max'. Presumably, these were additional clues left for us to find.
The briefcase and recorder were taken by those indicated on the recording, and the group began to disperse. As we left North Wharf Rd a single Police car made it's way down towards and past us. No Operatives were stopped and questions that I saw, but I can only assume a civilian had made a report of suspicious behavior.

Returning home, I obtained a copy of the recording for myself. A Kabuki mask will be located and modified as per the instructions received.

Personal Observations
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Notepad, audio recorder and digital camera would all have been extremely useful and will be brought along on future missions.

While the large group was a pleasant surprise and allowed us to search the area much more efficiently, we did attract and undue amount of attention. It is possible that Police were alerted to our presence, as I can see how we may have looked suspicious.

As far as I know, the bottle was not retrieved. Neurocam intructions may have been a little vauge on this point, as it was not mentioned in the tape. Technically, I would have consdiered this Neurocam materials and as such it should have been removed.

REPORT ENDS
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Operative XXXX



--><--
Approach to the search location was initially complicated by two factors -
unfamiliarity with the search location, and traffic control being in effect due
to a match being played at a nearby football field. Both were overcome.

Arrived at search zone at approximately 17:05, having clumped with identified
fellow operatives during the walk down the dock. A group of approximately 15
fellow operatives were already present, as well as approximately 10 civilians
engaged in recreational fishing activities. Search was delayed until 17:15, per
instructions. Wait time was spend by one operative asking for identification
and taking use names of operatives present and as they subsequently arrived.
Approximately 20 operatives in total were present by 17:15, at which time the
group began search protocol.

The access code was discovered at approximately 17:30, with the assistance of a
civilian who pointed out a floating bottle tied to an access ladder on the
north side of the dock (which had been noted by the civilians present). On
recovery of the bottle, the fact that the code was written on Neurocam Property
gave rise to suspicions that the operation was in fact a training exercise.

Notes which may have been written by Neurocam operatives during a previous
training exercise in the same search location were also located and retrieved.

The briefcase was spotted in a lighting support on the western side of the most
westernly bridge pylon at approximately 17:45, and the discarded ladder on the
southern side of the dock retrieved and used to recover said briefcase, taking
care to support the ladder (as it was damaged).

The tape recorder was played to all present. Note should be made that the
volume on the recorder was not good, and many operatives had trouble hearing
the instructions. Also, many operatives were unaware of the meaning of "Kabuki
Mask", and had to be informed.

During the retrieval of the briefcase, two more operatives arrived. Having
mistakenly arrived at the north end of the bridge, they reportedly had great
problems making their way around the harbour.

Equipment retrieved was disposal of per instructions: briefcase and tape
recorder were given over to the nominated operatives, and the ladder returned
to its original location. (It is unknown by this operative as to whether or not
the bottled access code was retrieved. This may be a breech of the procedural
details, and may require a subsequent retrieval.) Group was not keen to
disperse, and required prompting. Location was, however, evacuated by 18:00
hours.

Note should be made that a police presence was attracted. As operatives were
removing from the search location, a police patrol vehicle proceeded passed
this operative at approximately 18:05, travelling towards the search location,
and remained there for approximately 5 minutes before leaving. Covert
observation did not reveal any operative being approached, however surveillance
of their movements was not complete, and this may have occurred.

Report ends.
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Dear Charles,

At aproximately 4.55pm it became apparent to me the tram line did not continue down Bourke St as it appeared to on both the map supplied by Neurocam and also the map on the online melways. It was at this point I began to wonder if I would make it on time to the designated search area. I backtracked to Collins St where I discovered the tram line would not continue along there either. I then walked down Collins St through the Docklands untill I reached a car park which fortunately had a large map of the area. I then wlked the long walk down North Wharf Rd to discover the area, bar a few fishermen deserted at 5.13pm. I began to wonder if the fishermen were operatives in disguise untill around a small bend appeared a circle of 20something people, that were surely my Neurocam comrades. When I got to the group I immediately recognised there seemed to be an operative in charge, and he took down my operative alias and made a point of how glad he was I had my identifier. After about a minuet which I spent glancing around the group studying the others the operative who was in charge(whos name I have forgotten if indeed I was ever told it) proclaimed it was 5.15pm and time to begin the search. The group dispersed around the area and I began checking the side near the area the group had been assembled.
I noticed an operative comming from the same place I had whom I later discovered was oprative AliasK. I walked to him and informed him of the operative taking down alias' and advised him to infrom the operative of his arrival. At this point two fishermen came to us, one asked us 'Hey guys, what exactly are you looking for?' I froze not expecting the situation and not knowing what to say all I managed was 'I'm not really sure exactly.' Aliask also said something along the lines of 'Nothing in particilar.' The fisherman then asked,
'Would you be looking for a bottle?' I told him no, I didnt think we were looking for a bottle, and with that Aliask headed off to address the op in charge. I stood there with the fishermen, still looking at me and as I was about to head off the other fisherman asked me again 'So what exactly is it you guys are looking for.' Obviously he hadn't bought into my 'I don't really know' explination. Not wanting to repeat myself I remembered my perception assignment and told him
"We're looking for anything out of the ordinary.' Again to my suprise the fisherman asked
'Would a bottle with the words "Out of your mind" count?'
'Yes,' I told him 'Yeah it definately would'.
'Theres one tied to that ladder just there.' he said, pointing to and old, rusted and busted ladder which lead onto a small platform in the water off the side of the 'wharf' or whatever the area would be called.
I leaped over the railing on the side of the wharf and jumped onto the ladder climbed down and found a rope tied to the ladder leading to the bottle. The bottle was filled with an orange coloured liquid that was transparent and within was a small card with the Neurocam slogan 'Get out of your mind.' on one side and a 6 digit code on the other. I assumed I had found the 'key' refered to in the assignment briefing. It was at this point I thought I would ask the fishermen if they had seen the bottle being placed and wondered if they were infact involved in the whole scenario. At this point an operative whos name I don't know saw me and yelled to the rest 'We've got the key!'. By the time I got my stumpy legs up the ladder, which was no easy feat since the bottom rung was broken, almost the whole group had assembled and was waiting to recieve the bottle. People began taking photos and I realised I should do the same, temporarily forgetting the fishermen. By the time I had taken clear photos I remembered the fishermen but they were nowhere to be seen. I would say it smelt fishy but they were after all, fishermen.
After this the group dispersed again looking for the other object, it took us a long time. I stuck with Aliask and we spent a while searching through the area which was near the water directly under the bridge. This was, as you know where the breifcase was but it never occured to me or Aliask to look above us to the place where the breifcase was concealed. This was because as I had not seen the ladder I unconsciously thought there was no way of getting up there and therefore wouldn't be placed there. I was of course wrong and another operative ('Bunny' I believe) found the breifcase and climbed the ladder after it was brought over and retrieved it. In the breifcase was the tape recording with instructions from yourself informing the group of the necessity of obtaining a kabuki mask. Also mentioned was that operative Jojo was to take the place to a secure location and that 'Bunny' was to do the same with the recording, opertives were also reminded to write this report.
After hearing the recording a second time the group stood there for a while and spoke about kabuki masks as well as some notes found on the ground addressed to a 'Max' and pondered their significance. At this point it was realised it was 5.50pm and we had to leave the area soon. A good thing too as while the group was leaving the area walking down North Wharf Rd a police car cruised by Aliask and I, and continued untill it reached the bulk of the group where it pulled up and appeared to be asking questions. It seemed someone noticed our group in the area. Aliask and myself decided it would probably be best if we continued walking as not only did we not want to answer the police's most likely awkward questions, but we were also wanting to follow the assignment instructions and be out of the area. That just about sums up the whole experience aside from me noticing that a big party boat cruised past about four times and always seemed to be blaring one version or another of 'Call on me'. Looks like you can't even escape pop culture when your on a Neurocam assignment in a secluded area.

Operative XXXX