As Leo and Millicent wandered back to the car, keeping on their drunken act, they soon moved out of sight of the docks area, and could see their car further down the block.

"Is everything alright?" a foreign sounding man asked as they stumbled by, pointedly looking at Millicent for a response, given her tone of voice earlier it wouldn't be a surprise.

"If he is putting hands where they are not wanted, he can be stopped."

  Millicent, caught up in the act, at first didn't realize he meant her.

"whhht?" she stammered, her speech slurred. Then blinked and realized they had an unexpected audience. She looked at Leo with an unsure expression and her mind raced for a moment trying to come up with something.

"Oh," Millicent said trying to put a reassuring smile on her face. "D...Don't mind me, I..'m just being silly; little too much to drink you know, right funny guy," directing this to Leo.

Leo chuckled, then responded with his own slightly slurred words. "Yeah, just a bit. Let's take a little break." He walked the pair over to the car and leaned up against it, hoping the other gentleman would move along.

At the response, the other man studied them for a moment longer, shrugged, and went on his way.

     Millicent breathed a sigh of relief. "Well that was close Leo dear. That's all we needed was the cops called on us. Uh, I'm parched, you still got anymore of that hooch on you, I could use a swig or 2."

  Leaning against the car, Millicent turned to look in the direction of the warehouse,       "God I hope he'll be ok; how long should we give him before we start to fret?" She looked at her watch, "2 minutes?" she said trying to be humorous.

Leo pulled out the alcohol as requested, passing it along to Millicent. He nodded and spoke quietly to the woman. "Any risk we took pales in comparison to what the others are taking. And I'm already starting to fret, but it will get worse as time goes on. I don't think the others will be able to rush things. They'll need to be careful and patient."

Leo waited for Millicent to finish taking a drink or two before knocking one of his own back.

Millicent nodded and handed the flask over to Leo. "You're right, God, but it's still so dammed stressful. And you know, if something happens to him we'll won't even know why."

  She pulled her coat tighter to shield herself from the cold.

"Ugh, it's not doing us any good standing here like this, should we wait in the car?"

Leo thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Let's stay outside for a little longer. It's a lot harder to hear from inside the car. If one of the others gets in trouble, we may only know from a shouted word or other noise."

Leo put an arm around Millicent to try to help her against the cold.

OOC:

Also, I don't recall either of you having the keys.

OOC: You doubt Leo's ability to pick the lock and hotwire the car?

OOC:
*eyes Leo's character sheet*
Yes...yes I do lol

---

OOC:


The above image represents a rough map of what is going on where in your various scenarios. 

The green square represents where the car was parked, and where Leo and Millicent decided to return. 
The building outlined in red is the warehouse. 
The blue rectangle is the merchantman vessel that you all saw as you approached.
The yellow dot is where Stanley headed presumably in search of more work.
The orange dot is where Walter remained undetected.


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:06, Thu 16 Feb 2017.

OOC: oh, we are quite far away now. So there is really no way of getting back into the car? Wanted to make sure. I assume the other are there doing SOMETHING.

OOC:

You can pick the lock.

   Millicent stood by the car, Leo's arm around her. He was right of course, but it still didn't make her feel any better. "You know," she said to him, "if we need to help them, shouldn't we be closer, we are awfully far from the warehouse."

    A thought came to her and she went to try and open the car, of course it was locked. "Oh Leo," she called to him. You DO have the keys in case we need to use the car right? Please tell me you do."

Leo shook his head at the question. Both of them, in fact. "And how are we supposed to know if they need help? And what happens if one or both of them need to get away fast and we're not here? Best to stay put for a bit still, I think. As for the keys...I believe Walter has them." That was something they should have planned better. Would have made more sense for Leo to have them. Live and learn, Leo, live and learn.

Several minutes pass in silence, but eventually Walter jogs up to the car from down the street.

Leo was a little surprised to see Walter first. He had expected it would be Stanley.

The physician looked around, but didn't wave at Walter trying to avoid drawing attention to what was now a threesome. Instead he waited quietly for the younger man to approach.

Walter stops at the car.

"Where's Stan?"

Leo shook his head. "He headed off after he was spotted by the men near the warehouse, indicating that he was looking for work somewhere else. I presumed he would stay a safe distance and then join us back here. He may need to walk well out of his way to return."

Leo raised an eyebrow at Walter. "How did you fare?"

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 20):

Bo lets out a long sigh.

"Not so good. After the rest of you left, I kept hidden for a while, then tried to get close enough to find a way in. Warehouse looks like it's pretty buttoned up and that work gang went back inside and sounded wide awake. Couldn't see any way to get to the roof.

"I was working my way around the back when a bunch of sailors came up the hill. Started to get out of sight, but-- I... ahhh... Oh, hell! I knocked over an ashcan and it went rolling down toward the sailors."

He chuckles. "It made a heck of a racket!"

He glances at the car.

"Stan's got the keys, huh?"

He sighs and rubs his freezing nose.

Leo nodded at Walter's report and patted the younger man on the shoulder and looked him in the eyes. "You tried, Walter, thanks for that. Maybe best you didn't get in, as that place is likely to be rather dangerous."

Leo looked down at the car then back to Walter with a shrug. "Neither of us have the keys. I certainly hope Stan has them."

   Millicent listened to Walter's story, cringing as he told about the trashcan. "Wow, that was some bad luck, it's lucky you weren't caught." She gave out a rather loud, disappointed groan when Walter told them he also didn't have the keys. "Ok, gentlemen, next time we do anything like this, bring multiple sets of keys, alright?"

  She looked at her reflection through the car windows for a few moments, then said; "I bet there's some kind of dive around here, you know, to keep warm and all. You think Stanley will be awhile? Maybe we could leave him a note or something."

From somewhere in the distance, towards the docks, a gunshot reports into the night, followed in short succession by another.

Walter straightens up and looks toward the sound.

"I guess it might not be Stan. Wait here, I'll have a look. If Stan gets back in a hurry, just go. I'll find a bus."

He begins striding purposefully toward the sound.

Leo shook his head as he placed his hand on the sea bag. "No, we need to stick together, Walter. If Stan comes back in a hurry, he can still go. If he's in trouble with a larger number of people, you'll need the backup." Leo went after Walter and waved at Millicent to follow. As they moved, he unzipped the sea bag to allow for easier access of its contents.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:28, Fri 24 Feb 2017.

If Walter hears Leo, he gives no sign of it and picks up his pace a bit.

It took them a few minutes to walk through the neighborhood towards the docks, taking the route they were most familiar with. As they approached, they slowed and took a look at the warehouse from a distant vantage point. There was as little lighting as before, just the barest hint at the front, though it was sufficient to show them that there didn't appear to be anyone standing in front of the building. There was no commotion they could observe here, though a guess would have indicated that the sound they had heard would have come from somewhere in this direction.

OOC:

Just a quick FYI, I'm case it helps add some priority to this:

This is the only active thread in the game at the moment. The other players are waiting on the resolution of this before we can move on.

OOC: I was giving clearance to Walter to react first as he will be the first one to get to the 'vantage point' having not waited for the other two to catch up.

Walter halts when he sees the warehouse and steps back into the shadows. He waits for Leo and Millicent to catch up.

"Either Stan got away and probably went back to the car," he whispers to them, "Or he got caught and is in there.

"Let's go back to the car. We can break into it and hot-wire it and drive back here. With the shotguns."

Leo pointed to the sea bag he was still carrying. "I've got the shotguns. But we can still go back to the car to check if Stan's there. If he fled, he might be looking for us. If he's smart, he took off and we can all catch a bus. If not, he'll be wringing his hands, fretting."

"If we get in there and find Stan, I'd rather not have to run back to the car and then hot-wire it, if Stan doesn't have the keys."

Walter starts back to the car.

Leo nodded his agreement. "Agreed. Let's head back."

The trio soon returned to the car, which sat where it had been before, unaccompanied.

---

OOC:
Based on what has been suggested, you can use Locksmith to pick the lock on the car, or smash a window if you want Leo to have to shell out some cash.

To hotwire the car, take the higher of the higher of Electrical Repair + 20 or Mechanical Repair + 20, then roll a d100.

OOC: How close can we drive to the warehouse, if that is indeed our new plan?

Rolling her eyes, Millicent reluctantly followed the 2 men as the dashed to the warehouse and changed their minds and dashed back to the car. "You know," she said sarcastically, "if you wanted to keep warm, this is a tiring way to do it. I would much prefer to sit in somewhere indoors."

  Back at the car where their situation had not much improved other than being out of breath, Millicent looked in the window, so wishing she was staring out the other side.

"Well boys, are we going to try to jimmy the car or not? You know we can always use a more 'forceful' method to get in. I'm sure ol Leo here could cover the damages."

Leo nodded. "Cost is not an issue. Leaving Stan without a way to escape if he's heading back this way while being pursued is. As he has the keys, he would rightfully expect to find the car here if he's taking a long way back to it."

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 36):

OOC:

There's a streetside loading zone in front of the warehouse (where you all were earlier), and also one behind the warehouse, from what you can tell.

"I expect Stan would be here by now, if he was coming. If he's free, he may not want to lead pursuers to us.

"Milly, does your checkered past include jimmying car doors and hot-wiring ignitions? Mine doesn't."

[Is there any kind of pub or canteen open nearby? Leo could call Avery and see if Stan's checked in. What time is it?]

OOC:

You can absolutely find a nearby pub with great ease. There are several of varying quality in the area. You may recall that Walter and Stanley stopped at one earlier called The Grapes, slightly nearer the docks.

Closer by to the car, you've seen The Red Lion and the King's Arms.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:57, Thu 02 Mar 2017.

She shook her head at Walter's inquiry. "No, I'm afraid it doesn't. Not a proper thing for a lady to be doing, is it? I don't think the good doctor's does either. If none of the three of us can do this thing, I don't know what the plan might be."

She looked to Leo and Walter, almost waiting for one of them to take leadership. "Mr. Gray sent me to be an agent in this matter, but I think this paths turnin' a bit dangerous. I reckon we should see about gettin' Mr. Bishop out of whatever pickle he's got himself into, and then move on with the night's plan."
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:14, Fri 03 Mar 2017.

Bo nods grimly, then puts his elbow through the wing panel on the driver's side. He reaches through to pull up the door handle.

"Leo, why don't you go over to the King's Arms there and call Avery. I'll see about starting the car.

"Milly, you keep a lookout for cops or trouble."

Bo reaches under the dash and pulls out the electric starter. He's never done this before, but he's seen it done. Once.

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 74 using 1d100 with rolls of 74.  Mech Repair 20%+20. Hmmmm...

Leo nodded. "Good idea, Walter. Be back shortly."

Leo did as Walter suggested, moving with haste toward either the nearest public phone booth or a business where he could beg use of their phone.

While Bo struggles outside with attempting to hot wire the car, Leo finds himself inside a warm pub, the type of place Millicent had been agitating to go all night.

Securing the use of a telephone, he places a call to Avery.

"Good evening sir, how are things proceeding on your end?" the valet asked, sounding concerned.

 Millicent gave an annoyed pout at Walter's suggestion but didn't argue.

  "Knock yourself out honey," she said to Leo, her jealous tone obvious; "don't have too much fun and you BETTER bring back something warm and soothing, and I don't mean a dame."

 She called back to Walter as she moved away to better scan the area for people. "Whatever you're going to do hurry it up, I'm tired of freezing my ass off out here."

Leo thanked the staff that allowed him use of a phone, though when Avery's voice sounded from the other end, Leo responded quickly. "Not been terribly productive so far, and we've lost contact with Stan. I don't suppose he's checked in with you?"

"No, sir, Mr. Bishop has not yet rung, nor have the others. I presume from the question that he has been separated from your number, given that he was to be in your group. If any of them do ring, is there a message you wish me to give them regarding your status?" the dutiful valet asked.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:59, Wed 08 Mar 2017.

Whatever Walter was doing, he hadn't succeeded in starting the car.

OOC:
Walter has spent about ten minutes failing to get the car startes.

Give me another roll to keep trying.

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 16 for Mech Repair 20%+20. Maybe?

What followed was a few more minutes of failure, but just as he was about to give up on it, the engine came to life.

OOC:

The car is running now. Leo is still in the pub talking to Avery. Millicent can get inside the car now. What's the plan?

Leo thought for a little bit. "Just let them know we've lost contact with Stanley and are searching for him. If they are done early, they may need to take on our planned second stop." He paused. "I'll try to be in touch again once we've completed our task. If you haven't heard from me again before the others indicate completion, send them to take over what we had planned to do next."

The minutes ticked by and Millicent grew more frustrated with no result in sight. Finally she heard a rumble and hurried back to the car getting in beside Walter.

"Lord honey, I never thought you would get this thing started before I froze to death." She rubbed her hands trying to get warm.  "Should we go pick Leo up or just sit here and wait to see if Stan shows up? Personally I vote for the pub."

"Very good sir, I will pass on the message," he said, pausing. "I do hope you and Mr. Brandon will be careful out there. I hope that you find Mr. Bishop and that he is well."

"Thank you, Avery. We will check in again later."

With that, Leo thanked the staff again for the use of the phone and headed back out to the car.

Walking back out onto the street, Leo found that Walter seemed to have successfully started the car, and Millicent was just getting in.

"Avery hear from Stan?"

Walter considers Leo's response for a minute, then says, "We're not going to find out whether they've got Stan in that warehouse unless we go in there and I doubt they'll ask us in for tea.

"I see two options. We knock politely, show them the guns, and invite ourselves in. They might not open up and they might just deep six Stan. Or we drive right through those doors. At least we'll be inside.

"Anyone else have any ideas?"

Leo shook his head. "He has not."

The elderly doctor furrowed his brow at the suggestions from Walter, then nodded. "You know the lay of the land better than either of us. If there isn't a way to enter undetected, then perhaps the element of surprise is our only potential advantage."

"How's your driving, Milly?"

Millicent looked at the man, wondering what he was thinking. "It's passable," she said shrugging, "as long as you don't ask me to do anything crazy as in driving a car though doors a car is not meant to go through. You ain't thinking of that are you?"

---

OOC:

Since you're thinking about ramming your vehicle into something, I figured I would take a moment to provide some more information about the vehicle.

The vehicle leased by the Savoy to Dr. Elias for the day is an imported Tin Lizzie, a Ford Model T automobile with window regulators and refined upholstery. It has a top speed of 35 mph, comfortably seats 5 passengers, and costs $800.

(Other Info: 20 horsepower @ 1600 rpm, 83 lb-ft @900 rpm Torgue, weight 1875 lbs)

http://i105.photobucket.com/al...zzie_zpsccdggqoj.jpg" data-lightbox="images-msg-61">http://i105.photobucket.com/al...zzie_zpsccdggqoj.jpg" alt=''>

Walter is silent for a time, chewing at his lower lip. He doesn't want to make a mistake with Stan's life possibly on the line.

"Okay. Here's my plan.

"I'll drive back to the warehouse and line up the rear of the car with the doors. You two take the shotguns, one on either side of the doors. When I smash them in and pull clear, you go in and cover anybody you see. Then we'll go through the place and find Stan. Don't shoot unless they attack us.

"If you'd rather drive, Milly, I'll take a shotgun."

I can't remember if we have two guns or three. If three, the driver will bring one along.

 Millicent looked at the man with a bit of surprise on her face.

"Me? I'd probably blow someones fool head off and I'm not talking about them. No, I better handle the car, putting holes in people is your job."

The woman's face thought for a moment and showed a bit of doubt. "Are we REALLY going to just run the car into the door and hope for the best? Saints preserve us."

It sounded dangerous, but if Stan was captured, they didn't really have any choice. Leo nodded and looked to Millie for her decision.

When she indicated she'd rather drive, Leo looked over to Walter with a grim look on his face. "I don't think we have very many choices. Unless you have a better thought?"

"That's the best I got, Leo."

He gets into the car with the others.

"Sit up here beside me, Milly. I'll put the car in position and me and Leo will get out with the guns. Then, hit the gas and keep the steering wheel straight. Once you've smashed the doors, pull forward so we can go in."

OOC:

Alright, whenever you're ready, give me a Drive Auto roll.

Don't worry about your success or failure, you'll still be able to hit the door. That will just help me determine other things.

In reply to The Keeper (msg # 66):

Bo navigates the streets back to the warehouse. Stopping about a half block away, he turns off the headlights and observes the building and the street for a few minutes.

He turns to Milly: "When we're in position, back as fast as you can into those doors. Keep pushing until you break through.

"Once you've bashed in the doors and pulled forward so we can get in, keep the motor running and wait for us. If you hear shots, drive to that corner and wait." He indicates the intersection a few doors up to the left of the warehouse.

"Count to one-twenty once you're there. If we aren't out, circle the block and come back by from the other direction. If you don't see us or if you see the bad guys or if you see cops, drive to the hotel, park the car, and go up to Leo's room. Wait with Avery for our call. You got all that? Repeat it to me."

Getting her reply, he maneuvers the car into place so that the rear of the vehicle is lined up with the doors.

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 17 using 1d100 with rolls of 17.  Drive Auto 35%.

"Okay, Leo, let's get in position. I'll be first through the doors." He gets out, takes his shotgun, checks the load and the dozen shells in his overcoat pocket, and crosses quickly to take a position a few steps to the right of the doors.

Leo listened to the instructions. He felt apprehension, but this seemed like their only shot to get Stan back. He listened to the outlined plan and grabbed a shotgun for himself.

"Sounds good, Bo, let's do this." Leo stepped to the left of the doors, opposite of where Walter had positioned himself.

---

OOC:
Alright, Millicent. You're up. Give me a post telling me what you're doing and a driving roll and we'll be off to the races. Metaphorically speaking.

Since Walter set you up, make your roll with Advantage.

  Millicent gave the two men a worried look and gulped saying, "Christ, this is craziest thing I have done in some time, and I ain't even drunk. I seriously need to remedy that when were done here."

  Making sure the doors were closed, she gripped the steering wheel and gave a resolute look. "Ok you bastards, here I come." Shifting the gear in reverse, she looked back and gunned the gas as the car moved backwards at a high rate of speed smashing into the hopefully not too solid doors.

17:21, Today: Millicent O'Connor rolled 99 using 2d100 with rolls of 72,27.  Drive auto. (30) So I guess she did it.

The car slammed into the door, smashing it open and eventually losing momentum as she stopped accelerating and the weight of things it was pushing into caused loud crashing sound within, pushing back against the car and stopping it partway into the warehouse. There was serious damage to the vehicle, and shattered glass flying through the air.

After a moment, there was no commotion, and no one emerged from the warehouse.

---

OOC:

Millicent takes 1 point of damage from the crash.

23:52, Today: The Keeper rolled 70 using 1d100 with rolls of 70.  Millicent CON x 5 (60).

Walter and Leo make a DEX x 5 roll (to see if you dodge the shattered glass that is spraying through the air).

Walter, please also make a Spot Hidden roll.

This message was last edited by the GM at 17:12, Wed 22 Mar 2017.

Leo deftly does something. In a very deft way. Because he's deft.

09:50, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 6 using 1d100 with rolls of 6.  Dex (55).

Leo was crouched near the spot where the car was expected to crash into the building. Shortly before it hit, he did move slightly to avoid the worst of the shattering glass. It wouldn't do for the physician to get bloody. Already.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:16, Wed 22 Mar 2017.

The DEX roll was to avoid taking a cut from the spray of shattered glass from the car crashing into the gate.

Walter 'Bo' Brandon rolled 13 for 5XDEX 55%, 84 for Spot Hiden 58%.

Both Leo and Walter stepped back and out of the way as shattered glass flew at them in the wake of the collission. By the time the vehicle had come to a stop, they were able to quickly surmise that it was not going to be returned to the Savoy in the pristine condition in which it had been leased to Leo. The door had been pushed in, and it appeared that behind the door several crates had been smashed open, but with little light they couldn't make much out there.

Millicent got out looking generally unharmed, though she seemed to stretch a little bit and wag her head from side to side. She walked over to where Walter was standing.

"That bloody hurt. I told you, we should've gone in to the pub where it's warm and grabbed a drink," she said, trying not to bat her eyes at Leo.

Looking over behind the warehouse, she started. "Oy, what's that now?" she asked Walter, pointing over behind the warehouse where thick layers of fog had seemed to congregate. The night was foggy, but it seemed foggiest there where she shone her flashlight, though strangely the fog seemed to part at the touch of the light, revealing the slumped form of a body laying on the ground in the shadows behind the warehouse.

---

17:51, Today: The Keeper, on behalf of Millicent O'Connor, rolled 21 using 1d100 with rolls of 21. (vs. Spot Hidden/2 of 25%)

"Milly, pull up over there and keep the engine running," Bo says, taking the light from her hand and giving it to Leo, "See if that's Stan, Leo. I'll cover you."

Bo steps back into the street so he can watch the smashed doors and the still form at the same time.

"Stan? Where?" Leo took the offered flashlight and moved in the direction Bo had indicated, shotgun still in hand in case it was a trap.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:14, Thu 23 Mar 2017.

OOC:

So Walter is taking Millicent's flashlight and handing it to Leo. Is Leo accepting this handoff? Just curious - post says he's holding a shotgun, and it seems hard to use both. Need to know about the lighting.

OOC: How big is the flashlight? I was thinking Leo had the light in one hand, and still held the shotgun in the other. If worse comes to worse, he can brace the barrel on his arm that has the light, or he can drop it.

---

OOC:

The flashlight is of sufficient size that you need at least one hand to use it. You could hold the flashlight in one hand, and the shotgun in the other - but you didn't narrate Leo taking the flashlight, and then said that Leo (not a proficient user of firearms) had the shotgun "at the ready" - leaving open the potential interpretation that he ignored the offered flashlight and went in into the dark with one hand under the barrel and one hand on the trigger.

You can have a flashlight in one hand and shotgun at the other (shooting at disadvantage). Just wanted to clarify that. 

OOC: All true, edited for clarity.

A thick fog seemed to writhe in the night air where Leo shone the light, as if it was coalescing around the body that lay out on the ground, wreathing the slumped form. As the light shone on it though, it seemed to part quickly, vanishing into the dark of night.

With the patch of fog now out if the way, Leo could more clearly make out the body as he approached, though face down, there was little he could gather.

When he noted the gross dimension of the man were close to Bishop, Leo moved quickly toward him. He placed the torch on the ground near the body's head and rolled it slightly to try to get a positive ID.

Bo flicks his gaze from the warehouse doors to Milly in the car to Leo by the body, watching out for threats from all corners. After about two such cycles, he also checks the street behind him.

Leo turns the body over and gets a good look at the face.

"It's Stanley. Bo, get over here!" Leo put his gun aside and searched for a pulse.

Leo lifts Bishop's wrist to see if he can find a pulse.



Medicine: 29

23:50, Today: The Keeper, on behalf of Dr. Leonardo Elias, rolled 29 using 1d100 with rolls of 29.  Medicine 75.

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 87):

Walter holds his position and keeps up his vigilance. In Africa he had learned the trick of leaving a wounded man in the open to draw in his comrades. He waits to get Leo's verdict on Stan's condition.

Seeing that no one was coming to give him a hand, Leo set his gun down and put both hands under Stan's armpits, and tried to drag him towards the car.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:37, Fri 24 Mar 2017.

I think Stan is outside, behind the warehouse.

Seeing Leo start to drag Stan, Bo surmises his friend must  be alive. He trots over and, grasping Stan's right wrist with his left hands, lends his strength to the effort.

His right hand grips the shotgun and his eyes keep trying to cover the whole field of action.

Once they reach the car, he leaves it to Milly to help Leo load Stan and trots back to recover Leo's gun and flashlight.

Leo is able to quickly recover Leo's gun and the flashlight, while Leo and Millicent manage to load Stanley into the back seat of the vehicle.

OOC:

Correct - Stan is outside, behind the warehouse, not inside. I've updated Leo's post to reflect that.

OOC: Sorry about that mistake, I was envisioning something else.

Once they loaded the body up, Leo got into the back seat with Bishop, and checked him again, hoping that he had made a mistake the first time through. Leo was well-trained at both the physical and mental, and he knew when a patient was beyond help. That, unfortunately, was the case with Bishop.

Some part of Leo's mind felt a sharp pain, and his chest suddenly became heavy with grief. Once they were moving, he told the others what he'd found. "Stanley is dead." Leo took a heavy breath and put his face in his hands. Stan had always been an important, if underappreciated, member of the family. Reliable, hard-working, helpful - he would now only be able to cherish his memory rather than being able to rely upon his counsel in times of difficulty or need.

Leo's pronouncement strikes Walter heavily. "Jesus no," he says, thinking back to their younger days. Stan had been their rock, their tiger. He wonders what they would do now.

He stows the shotguns in the trunk. Then climbs into the front seat beside Milly.

"Let's get going, Milly."

"Dead? But..." She seemed stunned by the revelation. She had not had much contact with this type of occurrence of death, and seemed to be looking at the body in stunned silence, unable to form more words. Not that she had grown close to the man, but they were all together, traveling in company, and the death of another human being was striking nevertheless.

She nodded at Walter's call to action, and mechanically got back into the vehicle, pulling back, wrenching the vehicle out from the warehouse garage door that it had somehow molded itself into. A loud clang rang out as the door, now severed from its fixtures, fell on the ground among shattered glass, leaving the warehouse wide open from the outside.

Leo took another clinical look at the body. He had to think about it that way rather than as his friend and family member, at least for the moment. His condition was....

"He appears to have died of asphyxiation. There isn't any physical trauma, save perhaps to his jaw. No sign of physical struggle." Leo's voice was flat as he spoke. He looked over at Millie.

Leo looked over at Bo. "What are we going to do about the car? This thing is going to attract attention, and we've got a body in here with us."

"Pull over to that curb, Milly," Bo says quietly, pointing to a space near a telephone booth. He turns around in his seat to look at Leo.

"Can you sit him up, Leo? It'll be less conspicuous.

"Asphixiated, eh? Is his gun on him?

"I think we need to return the car to the hotel and tell them somebody hit it when it was parked. Stan... I think we put Stan in his bed and let the maid find him in the morning. The cops can make of it what they will."

Leo searched for any sign of a weapon on Stan, then sat him up.

OOC:

When they found Stanley, they would have found a small snub-nosed pistol on the ground. I didn't specifically call it out earlier, but we can assume they picked it up. It's also hard to move him without noticing the Burgess Folding Shotgun he wass carrying on him.

Leo nodded at the question about Stan's weapons. "I picked up his pistol, which was on the ground." Leo used a handkerchief to hand it to Bo. "He still has the shotgun on him as well."

Bo sniffs the barrel of the pistol, then puts it in his overcoat pocket.

Stepping out of the car, Bo crosses to the phone booth and calls Avery, apprising him of the fateful events and instructing him to come down to the side entrance of the hotel in fifteen minutes and wait for them with a large suitcase.

"Milly," he says getting back in the car, "Drive to the side entrance, the one by the elevators. Avery and I will break down the shotguns and put them and Stan's pistol in a suitcase. Then Avery and I will walk Stan inside and up to his room like he's passed out drunk, while you and Leo park the car and follow with the suitcase to Leo's suite.

"Everyone clear?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:27, Wed 29 Mar 2017.

"I'm on it," she said, having recovered a sense of self-possession during the drive. She was generally regarded as a hard-nosed, capable woman among those she did business with.

Thinking back over the last few nights, she could hardly credit her behavior - constantly complaining about the cold weather and yearning for warm pubs. In fact, while she was complaining about such trivial things, Stanley had been laying dead in the street, and the thought brought her some shame. But there was no use lingering in that shame. The best she could do for these folks in their time of loss was whatever was needed at the moment.

Like clockwork, Avery waited there with a suitcase, a stoic expression on his face, though his eyes held concern.

"The suitcase, sir," he said, handing it forward.

Leo nodded. "It's as good a plan as any."

---

When Avery arrived, Leo gave him an appreciative nod. "I'll be up soon. And thanks, Avery."

He slid back into the front seat after the others were out, and nervously tapped on his leg as they moved the car to its parking spot.

As Leo gets back in with the suitcase, Bo pulls the limp Stan out of the back seat. He had already laid the folding shotgun on the floor, drawing Leo's attention to it.

With Avery's help they hoist Stan up with their shoulders under his armpits so that his feet barely touch the ground. As they approach the doorman, Bo starts a chorus of California, Here I Come, interrupting it to say, "Thanks, Cap," as the man opens the door for them.

Waiting for the elevator, Bo laughs as though Stan had muttered something funny: "You said it, pal." When the car arrives he gives the operator Stan's floor number. They prop his weight against the rear wall as it starts upward.

Leo did as suggested, and found a spot for all their firearms in the suitcase. The more legal of the firearms (i.e. the shotguns) he placed in the main carrying compartment. The pistol he slid into someplace that wouldn't be noticed during a cursory inspection.

Once the packing was done and they were parked, he returned to the hotel with Millie.

Once they were all back in the hotel, Avery poured a brandy for each of them.

"To be brief of necessity, Mr. Moretti has informed me that they have reason to believe that we are all in some manner of danger," he said. "In that spirit, he has procured a 'safe house' for us to stay in temporarily, and has provided me the address."

---

OOC:

To expedite things, let me know if anyone objects to the idea of going to the safe house, or if everyone's in agreement with that plan.

If you agree to do that, then I will proceed with a new thread.

If there's an objection, then we can play out the phone conversation with Tommy as he calls, and then figure out what would be next.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:32, Fri 31 Mar 2017.

Leo nodded. "I was just about to suggest we find new accommodations and do so discreetly. As usual, Vincent is way ahead of me."

---

No objections at all. Completely in agreement.

With Avery's help, Walter gets Stanley to his room without incident. Pulling back the covers, they lay him on the bed and undress him completely. Bo sends the valet away and examines Stan's skin thoroughly for any sign of trauma.  Then he pulls the covers up to Stan's chin.

He goes through the room and Stan's clothes and wallet carefully, collecting any weapons, notes, books, anything the police shouldn't find.

He arranges Stan's clothes like a drunk man had taken them off -- coat sleeves inside out, pants wadded up with a shoe caught in one leg, other shoe kicked across the room. He pushes one sock under the covers by Stan's feet.

He stands for a minute looking down at the familiar face. He leans in and kisses his cousin's forehead: "G'night, sweet prince. Sorry I -- "

He bundles up the items he found and slips into the hallway, letting the door close behind him without locking. He goes to his room to stash the goods, then down to Leo's

Bo enters the room and pours a whisky.

"We can't go anywhere until the cops come and ask us about Stan. And then we'll have to tell them where we're going.

"I think our story's that Leo, Stan, and me went out drinking. Leave Milly out of it. We started out in the hotel bar. It's busy enough and we've been there enough that they won't remember if we were there early tonight or not. Then we hit a bunch of places, we don't know which ones, some cabbie took us to them. We got pretty drunk, especially Stan. He was feeling sick, so we brought him home, and Avery helped get him up to his room. Left him there. That's all we know.

"If you're up to it Leo, we should go down to the bar and talk it up, plant the idea in the barman's head."

He drinks his whisky in one gulp.

"Does Rosalie know yet?"

Just then, the telephone rang.

"Yes, Mr. Cotton. The others, yes...let me give the phone to Dr. Elias or Mr. Brandon," he said.

He held the phone for one of them to take.

"Cheers Ave's.".

Tommy waited on the line for the familiar voice of Leo.
"How's things doc? We're over at the pyramid.".

Leo looked over at the others, pausing a moment while he considered what to say. "Things have...been better." Without a secure line, he didn't think it was a good idea to announce Stanley's situation. "We can head toward the Pyramid as well, in a little while. We can catch up there."

Tommy frowned, sensing Leo's hesitation.
What they'd read at the foundation needed to be told, no matter who might be listening. Doing his best to be at least a little cryptic he spoke quickly.
"We are fairly sure the Pyramid party starts tomorrow. But we read bigger news at the museum; the Americans have been spotted and our adversary seeks revenge...be careful ok?"
Tommy paused. If Leo was afraid the line was being listened to it made sense to be wary with the address of the safe house.
"Y'all recall the ice cream guy we met today?" The 'scoop' was a tenuous pun but one Leo would recall for sure.
"Forget the pyramid, Get your things packed and meet by Mick's office in one hour sharp. Make Sure you ain't followed.".

Leo nodded, not that Thomas could see him. "Right, Americans in town, Pyramid party is tomorrow. We'll get a few things packed up. One hour, right. No tails. See you then." Leo waited to see if there was anything else, then gave the phone back to Avery.

"Looks like we've been followed from New York. We're going to head someplace besides the pyramid to meet the others. Not sure if we have much time to hang at the bar for appearances' sake, Bo." He paused. "We need to figure out a way to not be tailed when we leave tonight. Which probably means not taking the wrecked car."

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 115):

Walter hangs his head for a moment, then blows out a deep breath.

"We can't all disappear when the cops are going to find Stan dead in his bed tomorrow morning. They'll hunt us down and throw us in the clink."

He thinks again, tapping his fingers on his empty glass. He looks his uncle in the eyes.

"My advice is to get out of England now. Tonight. Get across to France or Germany. All of you, out of the reach of these crazies and of Scotland Yard. Then get passage back to America. Go West. Let the heat die down. Live.

"I'll stay here and try to sell my story to the cops, buy you some time. Please, give this up. Jack's gone. Stan's gone. Let's not lose any more family, Leo."

"Not new Americans in town...the existing ones have been spotted by Gavigan. Stan and Bo we think-be careful ok?".

Tommy put down the receiver and headed back to the other thread.

Leo nodded. "Leaving England rather quickly might be good for us all. But it won't be without you, Bo. Let's go have a drink, then talk loudly about going out on the town to enjoy the night. If they interview the barkeep, perhaps that's the last they'll see of us. And in the case of Stan...the truth is on our side, Bo. That counts for something."

The physician pressed his lips together. "This is bigger than our family, Walter. And at this point - we wouldn't be safe in New York. I think we've gotten to the point of kill or be killed. There's no guarantee this will blow over. We may need help to deal with it, but no. No we're not going to go hide out in California and hope everything ends up okay."

Bo had never seen anyone win an argument over "Stern Leo" as he thought of his uncle when he saw that face. He shrugs.

"Truth is no defense against cops, Leo, but maybe it'll turn out okay.

"Let's skip the bar for now that idea probably wasn't going to pan out anyway. An hour's not much time to pack and get-- Where are we going now?"

Leo nodded. "We are set to meet by Mick's office. We are to avoid being followed."