Florida Snow Writeup
PROLOGUE
Thomas sat in the dimly lit room, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the leader of Los Aztecas pace back and forth in front of him.
“Thomas, my man, you have been with us for a while now,” the leader, a man known only as “El Jefe,” began. “You have proven yourself to be a valuable member of our organization. But there is one test that all of my men must pass in order to truly be a part of this family.”
El Jefe gestured to a figure in the corner of the room, and Thomas’s stomach dropped as he saw a rival gang member, beaten and bruised, tied to a chair.
“This man is a member of the Latin Kings,” El Jefe spat, his eyes burning with hatred. “He was caught trespassing on our territory. And now, Thomas, it is your turn to prove your loyalty to Los Aztecas.”
Thomas’s mind raced as he tried to think of a way out of this situation. He had been working undercover for the DEA for months, infiltrating the drug smuggling gang in order to take them down from the inside. But if he refused to carry out this violent act, he knew that his cover would be blown and his life would be in danger.
“Do it, Thomas,” El Jefe growled, his voice low and menacing. “Prove to me that you are one of us.”
Thomas took a deep breath and stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides. He knew that he had no choice but to go through with this, at least for now. He approached the prisoner and landed a harsh punch to his stomach, feeling a sick sense of satisfaction as the man groaned in pain.
As the beating continued, Thomas couldn’t help but wonder how he had ended up in this situation. He had joined the DEA with the noble goal of taking down dangerous criminal organizations, but now he was a part of one himself, carrying out brutal acts of violence.
But he knew that he had to keep up the act, at least for a little while longer. He couldn’t let his personal feelings get in the way of his mission. He had to see it through to the end, no matter how difficult it may be.
As he walked out of the room, covered in sweat and the blood of his enemy, Thomas couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. He knew that this was only the beginning of his journey into the dark and dangerous world of Los Aztecas.
MISSION BRIEFING
Greetings, Special Agent K. We’re currently investigating a drug smuggling operation on behalf of the DEA. They are in the process of infiltrating a drug trafficking operation, backed by the Mexican cartels. Moving mostly cocaine from Florida to whoever wants to buy it.
The group, going by the name “Los Aztecas” adhere to very strict need-to-know policies and practice great opsec. So far we know they don’t inform their runners of a new shipment until a few hours before departure. The runner is supplied with a note, detailing the location and nothing more. The second in command for that run is provided with the additional information. As a last piece, the final destination isn’t sent until they reach the waters of whatever country they’re going to.
Two hours ago, our friends over at the DEA received the latest run information from their informant in Los Aztecas. As you might have guessed, we need you to geolocate the drop point. We have no idea where in the world this is, that’s where your expertise comes in.
As always, Special Agent K. The Contract is yours, if you choose to accept.
INSTRUCTIONS
Password sample for flagfile: country-city-streetname
Sample password: chile-bananacity-street-la-plaza
METHODOLOGY
The westward-pointing pier in the photo is the location of the drop point. As seen above, the orange roof houses have a similar architecture to those in Italy and other Mediterranean countries. The aquamarine sea color and cliff-like edges as seen from above are reminiscent of Galicia an autonomous community in Spain’s northwest. This narrowed down the search to three countries Italy, Spain, and South West France. I used google maps to search for fishing piers in all three countries and scoured the shoreline for kilometers until I arrived at the drop point in Galicia.
KEY POINTS FOR GEOLOCATION
- Visible landmarks: Landmarks such as buildings, bridges, and other structures can be used to identify the location of the photograph.
- Road networks: The layout and configuration of roads can be used to determine the location of the photograph.
- Water features: Rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water can be used to identify the location of the photograph.
- Elevation: The topography of the area depicted in the photograph can be used to determine its location.
- Cultural features: The presence of certain cultural features, such as farms, cemeteries, or religious buildings, can be used to identify the location of the photograph.
- Coordinates: If the photograph was taken using a GPS-enabled device, the coordinates of the location where the photograph was taken can be used to geolocate it.
- Time and date: The time and date that the photograph was taken can be used to determine its location, particularly if the photograph was taken during a specific event or at a specific location.
PASSWORD: spain-cambados-aldea-o-facho
CONTRACT CARD
