Avalon Gardens Infiltration Planning - Wed, Oct 25, 2017

Session Recap

• The investigators had previously focused their efforts on Dr. Reza Houssain, the chief chemist at Avalon Gardens
• Through observation, they determined he might be different from the others - potentially either a mastermind or a pawn
• They approached him directly as DEA investigators for questioning
• Dr. Houssain cooperated extensively:
  • He gave them a clone of his level 3 security card that provides access to almost every part of the facility
  • He made copies of all his notes and turned them over
  • He sketched a map of the facility’s internal layout
  • He proposed taking his family out of the country for two weeks, expecting Avalon Gardens and Dakota Knight would not be operational upon his return
  • He revealed the facility has $25 million in cash stored on-site
  • He mentioned their marijuana strain was derived from an older strain engineered by Genetic Agricultural Products (GAP)

October 18th (Wednesday Evening) - Research and Planning

Initial Research on GAP and Yerba Loca

• Cole Parker begins researching GAP (Genetic Agricultural Products)
• GAP is a biotech company specializing in genetically engineering agricultural plants
• Their current primary business involves engineering plants to be processed into food additives
• No mention of marijuana plants on their public website
• Parker searches for information about “Yerba Loca” strain
• Discovers a 2003 High Times article reviewing the strain:
  • Yerba Loca was engineered in 2003 as a hybridization of DJ Short Blueberry and Super Silver Haze, derived from the Blue Dream strain
  • Known for being significantly stronger but losing flavor notes
  • Described as “like smoking a caffeinated cigar”
  • The article includes a photo of the plant showing broader leaves than Blue Dream
  • Matures in as little as six weeks
  • Boasts nearly twice the THC potency of the original strain
  • No mention of insect legs or unusual features
  • No connection to GAP mentioned
• The strain was popular/infamous in the mid-2000s but disappeared by 2014 (when Colorado’s recreational market opened)

Review of Dr. Houssain’s Notes

• Avalon Gardens grows and processes “Yerba El Cubo” - their sole product across all offerings
• Dr. Houssain refers to it as “Y3” (third generation)
• The notes include a section of encrypted files meant as insurance against his employers
• Dr. Houssain postulates that Dakota Knight obtained a second-generation version of Yerba Loca somehow
• Y3 was developed in Avalon Gardens’ grow houses during their first six months of operation
• They started from Y2, which Knight identified as the second generation
• Critical discoveries in the notes:
  • The flower has insect contamination reading over 35,000 parts per million even after sifting
  • This far exceeds acceptable levels for sale in Colorado’s legal market
  • The contamination consists of literal insect parts - described as “chimeric insect parts”
  • They can only sell by heavily processing into distillate form, which destroys the insect contamination
  • A powerful psychedelic compound similar to bufotenin (but not identical) is present in the plant
  • This psychoactive compound is destroyed during their production process
  • Dr. Houssain theorizes the plant is “engineering itself to become more intensely psychoactive for some reason other than defense”
  • He’s surprised any growers are still standing at the end of shifts since they smoke while working
  • Notes indicate personnel somehow “keep performing above quota” despite heavy use

Facility Map Analysis

• Dr. Houssain’s hand-drawn map on printer paper shows:
  • Public areas: retail dispensary
  • Secure areas accessed via level 3 card:
    • Stock room for dispensary
    • Employee lockers
    • Processing lab (where Dr. Houssain works)
    • Loading dock
    • Executive offices (front of building)
    • Main grow house (central back area)
    • Break room
    • Armory/chemical storage (combined room)
    • Executive offices for Dakota Knight, John Bellamy, and Bill Knight
  • Level 4 access areas:
    • Hastily constructed reinforced vault (built recently with concrete, cinder blocks, steel rebar)
    • Three smaller auxiliary grow houses (locked during operating hours)
  • Restricted lot in back for loading product and receiving cash from deliveries
  • Stairs leading to a gantry/catwalk where grow lights are suspended
• Only Dakota Knight has access to the three restricted grow houses
• Dr. Houssain heard “blood-curdling screams” from one of the back grow houses
• He knocked on the door but no one responded or acknowledged it
• The restricted grow houses have typical sturdy doors, not security doors
• Bill Knight has an office but rarely uses it - he stopped coming around once they started selling product

Planning the Operation

Initial Discussions

• The team debates various approaches:
  • Using the insect contamination as grounds for a raid
  • Using the money laundering angle
  • Using Dakota Knight’s threats against Dr. Houssain
  • Waiting for a delivery day when most security is off-site
  • Drilling holes to peek into the restricted rooms
  • Planting evidence on both Knight and Bellamy to get them arrested
  • Bringing in Delta Green’s tactical “kill team”

Concerns Raised

• Opening the restricted doors might trigger the same reaction McCarter experienced (smelling things, potential insanity)
• Once they move on Bellamy, they’ll be on a clock before his absence is noticed
• They can’t access level 4 areas without Knight
• The vault door is reinforced and likely impenetrable without leaving evidence
• $25 million in $100 bills would weigh approximately 250 kilograms

The Bellamy Plan

• Decision: Abduct John Bellamy when he’s alone at the facility
• Interrogate him for information
• Kill him and frame Dakota Knight for the murder
• This would keep Knight occupied with police while they investigate the facility
• Contact Pizzarelli to have the tactical team ready (24-hour notice needed)
• The team will need a week or so to execute the plan

October 20th - Tactical Team Arrives

Special Response Team Epsilon Members

• Robert “Fud” Astra - Team leader, older, noted by those with high human intelligence as “a little unstable”
• Lucas “Sprinkle” Frank - Short and very aggressive, immediately confrontational, call sign not self-chosen
• Luis “Crunchy” Frederick - Gregarious Cuban-American, former Navy SEAL
• Emma “Husky” Tomlinson - Youngest member, blue eyes, phenomenal marksman
  • Father was DEA, trained her at family shooting range since age 11
  • Former YouTube sensation posting shooting tricks
  • Won national shooting championships, 200 rounds daily practice
  • Recently joined tactical team
• Bhaskara Isha - Technical specialist (signals and computers), rejected all call signs
• Candice “Doc” Ledoux - Team doctor, PhD in anthropology, linguistics genius

The team is ostensibly in Colorado for mountain drills but will be ready near Greeley for activation.

Surveillance Operation (October 20-25)

Stakeout Details

• Drummond and Booth conduct surveillance of Avalon Gardens for several days
• Rotating vehicles to avoid detection
• Observations:
  • Employees use employee entrance throughout the day
  • Workers frequently vape outside, producing large columns of smoke
  • Security guards smoke “a lot of product” multiple times daily
  • 2-3 armed guards during normal days, one additional on weekends
  • All security on duty during delivery days
  • Building mostly empty 3 AM - 8 AM (only security present)
  • Night shift cultivators work late but not overnight

October 25th - Surveillance Compromise

• Booth fails stealth check during surveillance
• IDS security guard spots them in parking lot
• Guard approaches cautiously, hand near holstered pistol
• Identifies himself: early 30s, Caucasian, 6'1", short dark brown hair, good shape
• Wearing body armor with “IDS Security” stenciled on it
• Other people present: customers smoking in nearby vehicle
• Guard orders them to put hands on steering wheel
• Booth explains they’re on a divorce case surveillance (private investigators)
• Story: gathering evidence to help client maintain custody of children
• Guard believes the story but tells them to leave (private property)
• Team adjusts surveillance schedule to avoid being spotted again

Target Identification

• Night of October 25th: Only Bellamy’s car in parking lot
• Appears to be alone at facility
• 3 AM - 8 AM window when building is mostly empty

Operational Preparation

Weapons Acquisition Attempts

• Team attempts to acquire heavier firearms
• Shotguns and hunting rifles easily obtained
• Cole Parker attempts to acquire automatic weapons
• Critical failure on criminology check (rolled 100)
• Potential flag to law enforcement
• Unable to obtain weapons with lethality rating
• Team has shotguns, rifles, and previously acquired sidearms

Kidnapping Planning

• Cole Parker’s forensics expertise useful for crime scene staging
• Best approach: follow Bellamy’s routine to find location with no witnesses
• Bellamy rarely leaves Avalon Gardens
• Tracked his vehicle for a week:
  • Goes home overnight occasionally
  • Went on one delivery with security team
  • Made one stop at small office park in Greeley
• Limited opportunities in his normal schedule
• Concern: luring him to secondary location might result in him bringing armed guards or alerting Knight
• Decision: grab him from his house late at night
• Risk: witnesses might report “men in dark clothes” to police
• Timing uncertain - could be reported in 20 minutes or days later

Final Plan

• Wait for night when only Bellamy is at facility
• Building should be empty except for him between 3 AM - 8 AM
• Use Dr. Houssain’s level 3 security card for access
• Graham Drummond confident he can bypass electronic locks if needed
• Team armed with shotguns, rifles, and sidearms
• Tactical team on standby if needed

Session End

• Team preparing to move on Avalon Gardens cultivation site
• Night of October 25th
• Only John Bellamy on site based on parking lot surveillance
• Ready to execute infiltration plan