NTAC
National Threat Assessment Command[edit]
- Agent Nicolas Roth:
- Agent Tara Archer:
NOTES to be UPDATED[edit]
The US Depart of Homeland Security
National Threat Assessment Command
NTAC
“Honor, Valor, Integrity”
The Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) is the branch of he federal government tasked with investigating “metahuman” crimes, investigating paranormal activity, and any human contact with extraterrestrials. It has a number of field offices located throughout the U.S. and several of its Special Agents are located at US embassies overseas to at as liaisons with foreign governments.
BSI’s headquarters, the Thomas J. Tanaka Building, is located in downtown Washington, DC, not far from the Capital. The building is named in honor of Special Agent Thomas “Tommy” James Tanaka. Special Agent Tanaka was killed during an assault on the building by the mutant terrorist group, The Oppressed, in late 2004. The building is protected by a small army of security personnel (contract security personnel hired through the Federal Protective Service, and supervised by BSI personnel.), and an advanced security system. (The FBI is extremely jealous).
BSI is organized into several Divisions, Administration & Training, Operations, and Support. The Admin and Training Division consists of the Bureau HQ complex Northern VA, The Training Academy located on the grounds of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) in GA, and the BSI Crime Lab.
The Operations Division runs the Bureaus various field offices and is subdivided into several separate sub-units. The "Supercrimes" section is the largest section and handles investigations of any crime involving metahumans that happens within the US or is directed against US citizens overseas. Special Agents assigned to this section also staff the various liaison positions at the US embassies.
A separate entity within the Supercrimes section is the Office of Metahuman Intelligence (OMI). OMI maintains files on every incident involving metahumans. They access the various capabilities of known metahuman criminals, and on criminal organizations that make use of metahumans.
The Paranormal Investigations Section handles cases that would fall into the realm of the supernatural (hauntings, the undead, magic, ESP, Telepathy, etc.). Its agents are frequently called in on cases where there is no logical way to explain why an event happened. Several of its special agents and consultants are Psi sensitive, and assigned to its special ESPer unit. The ESPer unit is rumored to be responsible for protecting the President, VP, Congress, etc. from psychic attacks and mind control, although the Bureau refuses to comment on it publicly. They also maintain a catalog of various magical power items such as the Holy Grail, the Spear of Destiny, Thor's belt, and the Golden Fleece.
The Support Operations Branch handles everything for janitorial services and up keep on the vehicle fleet, to running the crime lab.
The BSI Crime Lab is considered to be one of the premier crime labs in the county, if not the world. The Crime Lab routinely works hand in hand with “Skunkworks” personnel, and shares finding with other law enforcement agencies, such as the FBI, US Secret Service, US Postal Inspectors Service, the RCMP, and Scotland Yard.
The Evidence Recovery Teams (ERT) are the lab’s rapid response units. They are tasked with being on the ground, collecting evidence within two hours of a major incident. Each field office maintains a ERT of varying size, depending on the amount of metahuman activity in the area. The New York and Washington DC, field offices are the largest. A national level ERT is on standby at BSI HQ to assist field office ERTs during major events, such as the attempted assassination of the UN Security Council buy the terrorist group, America First. The metahuman heroine, Starburst, was once employed there as an evidence technician, on one of the Bureau’s ERT.
The Office of Scientific Research, or the "Skunkworks" as employees call it, is the Bureau’s R&D branch. They are also responsible for examining "supertech" such as weapons, power armor, computer systems, etc. It’s staff is composed of some of the finest scientific minds in the county.
(Use the Scientist write up on pg. 229 of the M&M 2e rulebook for the “typical” employee of this section.)
The Office of Detention and Transportation is the unit responsible for handling and transporting captured super criminals (responsibility it shares with the US Marshals Service and Bureau of Prisons). To perform this task they maintain a number of specialized transport vehicles and aircraft located at various locations throughout the US. These transport vehicles range from modified Ford F-350 vans to armored semi-trucks equipped with satellite tracking systems, and even modified versions of military transport aircraft (Flown by D&T pilots).
Unlike the other law enforcement personnel working for BSI, to “D&T” Officers are not Special Agents, but they certified federal law enforcement officers with federal arrest powers in matters dealing with metahumans. Like BSI Special Agents, D & T Officers also undertake their initial training at FLETC. The Course runs ten weeks and covers a wide variety of subjects including basic federal law, firearms, driving, search procedures, advanced first aid (as D & T officers are usually the first trained responders on the scene), defensive tactics, physical training to list a few.
To successfully graduate the course, trainees must maintain a GPA of 80%; successfully complete the Physical Assessment Test; score not less than 80% on the Basic Firearms Proficiency Test; demonstrate knowledge of basic defensive tactics techniques; complete the basic Defensive Driver/Emergency Vehicle Operators Course; and lastly they must complete a hands on evaluation where they must successfully transport a “dangerous metahuman” (usually one of several heroes who volunteer to roleplay the part - many of whom really get into their characters) to secure containment facility.
Upon graduation New D &T officers are assigned to either one of the local field offices, or to one of several federal detention centers, They are then assigned to a “Field Training Officer” (FTO) for a 12 month probationary period. During this time the FTO while monitor the new officer’s progress, offering suggestions and guiding them in the right direction. Officers are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of “in service” training each year. In addition, they also routinely train with US Marshals Service, and Bureau of Prisons personnel.
The Field Support Branch are BSI’s tech support guys. Need a comm suite setup in a hotel room, radioactive material cleaned up, your SLAM get banged up during a firefight? Then field support are the people to call.
HQ/Administration - Washington, DC. Office of the Director
The Academy and Training Division Academy - BSI Basic Academy (FLETC) BSI Satellite Training Facility
Support Operations Branch BSI Crime Lab - Located within the HQ building Office of Scientific Research “The Skunkworks” - Washington, DC & Metro DC area. Office Detention & Transportation - Co-located at the HQ of the US Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Field Support Branch - DC Metro area.
Operations Division - HQ bldg., Washington, D. C. Criminal Investigations “Super Crimes” Branch - Office of Metahuman Intelligence - Co-located with the HQ bldg. Paranormal Investigations Branch - ESPER unit &
Tactical Operations Branch
The Tactical Operations Branch is the unit tasked with planning and executing SWAT and paramilitary type response operations for BSI. To help them fulfill this task, they maintain several specialized units, which are detailed below.
- Special Response Teams (SRT) - BSI’s part time tactical/SWAT teams. Each field office is capable of fielding a SRT, with its size varying depending on the number of agents assigned to that field office. Agents assigned to a SRT perform their “normal” investigative duties only coming together for their monthly training session, or for an operation. When large scale operations are called for, multiple teams will be used.
Agents wishing to volunteer for a spot, on one of the SRTs, must have at least three years of service with the Bureau. They must then successfully complete a two selection process, during which their physical and shooting abilities will be evaluated. Along with having to complete an academic exercise while physically exhausted as they may have to recall minute details of an operation when in court. The basic training for new agents assigned to an SRT, the SRT I, runs 180 hours in length and lasts for three weeks. The first week of training is conducted on the grounds BSI satellite academy, while weeks two and three are conducted at the FBI Academy and Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. Throughout the course, agents are reminded that they are law enforcement officers first and fore most, and that their primary purpose is to save lives.
They are also reminded, that as representatives of the US government, that any of their actions could be called into question in court, they should strike to carry themselves in a dignified manner at all times, and conduct operations in a manner that would reflect favorably at all times.
The SRT II course, which lasts two weeks, is specifically designed for those SRTs that work with STOP Teams on routine a basis. The course is usually run twice a year, (Fall & Spring), and takes place at the US Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, although other locations have been used, such as the US Army National Training Center (NTC), and the US DOEs National Test Site.
SRT snipers undertake some of the most intensive training in the law enforcement community. They receive training form the US Secret Service, instructors from the USMC Scout/Sniper School, and BSI’s own cadre of firearms instructors. BSI snipers have recently begun evaluations of several new "hyper velocity" rifle for use against armored targets. The two versions currently being tested consist of a rifle firing a high density round, using an electrochemical propellant, and a "Mag Rifle" (as it's been dubbed by the Agents), that also fires a high density projectile, but uses electromagnetic firing system to accelerate the round. So far neither of the weapons has seen active service, but they have been certified for field testing.
All agents assigned to an SRT must pass a quarterly weapons qualification, a semi-annual physical ability test, and 40 hours of “in service” training. In addition to there month training days, Agents also routinely participate in training with other agencies such as the FBI, US Secret Service, and Federal Protective Service.
- Special Tactical Operations (STOP) Teams - Are special teams equipped with “Sentry” power armor - Sentry power armor suits were first fielded by BSI in late 1995. Since then their manufacturer (Quantum Technologies) has made several improvements. The fire resistant suits provide ballistic protection up a 7.62 mm full metal jacket round. The suit’s batteries provide enough power for 6 hours of continues use. The life support systems are also good for six hours. They increase the wearers strength allowing him to lift one ton. The suits flight jets have enough fuel for two hours of sustained flight at speeds up to 225mph. Other specs for the suit remain classified, with only authorized technicians and technical reps from Quantum knowing the specifics.
There are currently (7) regional teams: North East Region (New York field office), South East Region (Atlanta field office), South West Team (Las Vegas), Central Region (Chicago), North West Region (Seattle), West Coast Region (Los Angeles), Capital Region (Washington, DC). Unlike the rest of the STOP teams, the New York, Los Angeles, and Capital Region, STOP teams are full time units. With personnel training in the use of their equipment 5 days a week. Agents are assigned to these teams on a four year basis, before rotating on to other duties (this is done to allow younger recruit’s a chance to rotate in, and to prevent burnout among unit members as using the suits is both physically and mentally demanding.)
Prospective STOP team members are drawn from a pool of veteran special agents, with the majority coming from the ranks of prior military personnel and SRT operators. The basic STOP training program lasts 8 weeks and 3 days in length, and is conducted at the US Dept. of Energy’s Nevada Test Site. Training is divided into three phases (I, II, III), with phase one being mostly class room work. During Phase II, (weeks 3-6) trainees don their Sentry power armor for the first time. They are given instruction on basic handling procedures, basic weapons familiarization, and a chance to get used to using the armor. Phase III (weeks 7-9) involves advanced field work, additional weapons training and qualification, night operations, and hostile environments training. During the last three days, trainees undertake the Underwater Operations Course at Naval Station Indian Head, MD.
Upon graduation, agents still are not considered fully qualified with a suit until they complete a one year probationary period, where, at the team leaders discretion, they may be removed from the team. STOP Teams train two days a month. In addition, they must attend quarterly training 3 day training exercises held at various locations through out the US. Some of these locations have included nuclear power plants, a nuclear weapons storage facility, a presidential emergency shelter, LAX, and the US Capital.
- Specialized Light Assault Mechs (SLAM) - The newest toy in BSI’s arsenal. SLAMs are armored assault mechs that can be deployed when field agents in trouble request serious firepower. Only a small number of suits have been manufactured as they are expensive to produce and it takes several months for an agent to become proficient in its operation. All SLAM operators are volunteers from one of the regional STOP teams.
The SLAMs are stored at a secure facility in suburban Maryland, near Andrews AFB. Normally a specially equipped BSI transport aircraft is on standby to transport the SLAMs, their operators, support personnel and equipment 24 hours a day. The aircraft is stationed at Andrews, AFB, Maryland. BSI also maintains a memorandum of understanding with the Dept. of Defense allowing the SLAMs to be transported on military aircraft. The DOD Joint Metahuman Security Task Force also maintains a SOLL (Special Operations, Low Level) II equipped C-17 at McGuire, AFB, New Jersey with a second backup aircraft at Charleston AFB, SC.
BSI Field Offices: Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Kansas City, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angles, San Diego, and Seattle. The New York field office is the largest with Washington DC, and Los Angles coming in as the next largest.
BSI Metahuman Attaches
BSI maintains several metahuman attaches offices at various locations overseas. The agents assigned to these offices are responsible for providing liaison services to allied nation law enforcement agencies, and for investigating metahuman crimes directed at US citizens overseas. BSI attaches are currently located in the following cities: London, Brussels, Berlin, Tel Aviv, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Moscow, and Ontario. At one time, BSI maintained a liaison office in Paris, but the office was shutdown after a counter intelligence team discovered the French DST had placed a number of electronic monitoring devices throughout the building s structure. Future plans call for a new offices to be constructed or space leased in Sydney, Australia, and Johannesburg, South Africa.
In addition to its foreign attaches, BSI also maintains extensive contacts with INTERPOL and routinely provides briefing on the various metahuman threats to the DOD and NATO. Both the UK, and Canada have law enforcement personnel assigned as liaisons at BSI HQ to help coordinate their operations.
Notable Personalities
The Director - James Wilson Deputy Director - Susan Wright Assistant Deputy Director Operations - Jeremiah Jones Assistant Deputy Director for Support - Harry Stanton Assistant Deputy Director for Training - Col. (Ret.) Walter “Bulldog” Stevens (USMC). He also acts as the Director at the training academy. Assistant Deputy Director for Personnel - Norman Davies Director of Scientific Research - Dr. Emil Skota, PhD. Special Agent in Charge (SAC) New York - Special Agent Alison Anderson SAC Washington DC - Special Agent Derrick White Special Agent Sandra Stevens - SAC, Office of Metahuman Intelligence (Jake Steele’s former boss) David Goldberg - Office of Legal Affairs Teresa Jordan - BSI’s director of Public Relations (BSI’s public face) Jesus Alvarez - Field Support (That’s “Mister Alvarez” to his staff. He runs a tight ship, takes no stuff, is proud of what “his people” can accomplish when asked.) Earle Lewis Greene - Office of Finance (BSI’s money man)
Special Agent Jacob “Jake” Steele - Special Agent Jacob Steele is a 37 year old athletic male. He’s been with BSI for 11years. Prior to that he spent four years as an officer in US Army, working military intelligence, and an additional four years in the Army Reserves. When he’s on a case he’s relentless and he pushes his people hard. When he’s not working, he’s laid back and friendly. He’s a runner and it’s not unusual to find him out running well before the sun rises.
Jonathan & Jessica Swift (The “Twins”) - Psi sensitive brother and sister (twins) who work in the Bureau’s paranormal branch ESPER unit. Jonathan is a telepath with several other "special talents", such as the ability "read" objects. Jessica has the ability to see things with here mind (ESP), and sense the emotions of others.
Mr. Gray - The Director of the Paranormal Branch. Very little info is known about Mr. Gray other than he's been with the Bureau for years and he always seems to know more about you than you do. Gray has absolutely know sense of humor what so ever, and when not running an operation can usually be found in his office.
Six - Quite simply, Six is a witch, a "white witch" mind you, but she still gives some of the Agents and staff the creeps. How she came to work for the Bureau, or how she acquired her name is not known. All that is know is that Director Wilson trusts her with his life.
Special Agent Tommy Tanaka
At the time of his death Special Agent Thomas “Tommy” Tanaka, was 29 years of age, and had been with the Bureau for just under six years. After serving in the Houston field office for his first three years, he transferred to the D.C. Metro Field office. One year later he applied to and was excepted into the Bureau’s elite Special Response Team program. On the morning of his death, Agent Tanaka, and the other members of his Special Response Team, were assigned to “Quick Reaction Force/Counter Assault Team” (QRF/CAT) duties that day, as a congressional tour group was scheduled to tour the facility’s new Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Unknown to anyone at that time, the new mutant terrorist group, The Oppressed, decided to make their debut buy attacking the tour group. They hoped that a brazen daylight assault on the country’s elected leadership, while walking the halls of BSI’s headquarters complex, would draw attention to their cause.
Their initial assault worked as planned, penetrating the buildings defenses (man of which were inactive due to construction upgrades going on within the complex at the time), and catching the facilities security force off guard. During the battles opening moments, several members of the congressional party were severally injured. Agent Tanaka’s QRF began to engage various members of the Oppressed with small arms fire, and rendering first-aid to the wounded. While trying to evacuate on wounded congressional staffer Agent Tanaka noticed that part of the ceiling was beginning to give way. With complete disregard for his own well being, Agent Tanaka used his own body to shield the staffer from the falling debris. In the process he sustained several broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, a punctured lung, and a fractured collar bone.
Refusing to allow pain to over take him, Agent Tanaka, managed to free himself, and the staffer, from the debris, and then dragged the staffer to safety. He then returned to ongoing battle raging in the sub-levels of the building. While making his way through the now smoke filled hallways, Agent Tanaka observed the Oppressed member, Jezebel, trying to gain entry to gain entry into a secure storage area, by pounding the reinforced doors with her fists. At that time, the vault was used to store items collected by the Bureau’s Paranormal Investigations section. He also heard the cries for help coming from to BSI secretarial staffs hiding in the area. Agent Tanaka immediately engaged Jezebel with accurate rifle fire until he had expended his weapon‘s ammunition supply. While the rifle fire proved ineffective in injuring her, it did draw Jezebel’s attention toward him, allowing the two staff members were able to make their escape.
At approximately the same time, a radio message was broadcast announcing that a BSI STOP Team was making entry into the building, and for the SRT to disengage. Realizing that Jezebel would gain entry to the vault before the STOP Team arrived, Agent Tanaka made another heroic decision. Instead of retreating, without hesitation Agent Tanaka drew his secondary weapon, his pistol, and began firing at Jezebel. Jezebel, know annoyed at Agent Tanaka’s continued acts of defiance, stopped pounding the door, grabbed a desk, and threw it at Agent Tanaka, striking him in the head and mortally wounding him. This last valiant effort on his part provided the STOP Team with the additional time they needed to reach the storage area Unfortunately, Agent Tanaka had succumbed to his wounds by the time medical staff could reach him.
Recruitment and Training
Anyone wishing to become a BSI Special Agent must possess at least a minimum of a masters degree. Many agents are recruited from other federal agencies and the military. Most have at least several years of work experience, with the “average” new agent being 29 years of age upon hiring. Additional skills such as fluency with a foreign language, piloting skills, diving, military or prior law enforcement experience are considered a plus as agents routinely find themselves working in strange, austere, or hostile environments.
New agent training lasts 16 weeks and is broken down into two separate phases. Phase one training, which lasts 10 weeks, takes place at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC). The New Agent Training Course consists of basic investigative techniques, physical fitness, self defense, and firearms training.
Phase two takes place at the BSI satellite training facility located in Maryland. Trainees continue their physical fitness training, and receive additional training in dealing with the peculiarities of dealing with metahumans, including detailed briefing on a number of cases BSI has handled over the years. The course concludes with a full blown exercise where the trainees are called in to investigate a crime scene where metahuman criminals have been involved. In addition BSI agents receive additional training from the FBI, Marshals Service, Secret Service, the US military, and the CIA on an as needed basis.
Equipment
Due to he nature of the threats that BSI Agents have to confront, they have access to a large number of weapons not normally found in use with other law enforcement agencies. Weapons in use include the Glock 17 and Sig/Sauer P228 9mm pistols, Glock 23 .40 cal. Pistols (used by the SRTs), Heckler & Koch (HK) MP-5 9mm and MP/10 10mm series sub-machineguns, Colt M-4A1 5.56 mm rifles, Remington 700 7.62mm sniper rifles and Barret L82A1 .50 cal Special Applications Rifle, M-79 40mm grenade launchers, M249 5.56mm light machineguns, M240 and HK-21 7.62 general purpose machineguns, and Bofors AT-4 anti-tank rockets. Energy weapons in use by agents include the Quantum Technologies XM-12 “Beam Rifle” (a man portable laser weapons system carried by the STOP Teams), the Ballistech Armaments GL-22 30mm automatic grenade launcher (also carried by the STOP Teams) and a large number of experimental weapons systems.
Vehicles in use include the Chevy Caprice sedan, Chevy Suburban SUVs, Cadillac Gage “Peacekeeper” armored cars for use by their SRTs, and a number of specially modified vehicles constructed in their own shops. Aircraft in service with BSI include the Bell 212 "Twin Huey", the Hughes 500, a civilianized version of the OH-58 Kiowa Scout, OV-10 "Bronco" surveillance aircraft, CASA-212 transports, "The Guardian" A specially modified EC-135 command and control aircraft that can serve as an airborne command post during an emergency. Unconfirmed reports have stated that BSI has recently entered into an agreement with Avery Aerospace to develop a VTOL "hover" platform capable of rapidly transporting it's STOP Teams. Although any such craft is undoubtedly in the early planning stages at this time.
