Leo looked up as the two men re-entered the building. He nodded at their reasoning. "Let me see if I can get paper and pen. Then we can start planning." Once the physician had collected a writing implement of some sort and paper, he set them on a table and looked over to Bo and Vince. "Can you sketch what we're going to find? House, island, approach?"

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 133):

Bo does his best to map the route from the village to the island and what he had seen in his brief recce.

Leo looks at the crude map, then looks at the others. "So how do we play this? It doesn't seem like an easy approach. We will either need to fool the guards somehow, or intercept the truck out from the estate." He looked around to the others for their thoughts.

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 135):

"That's the way I see it, Leo. I think the truck's our best bet. Even if the guys at the end of the bridge just have shotguns, they can settle out hash pretty quick."

Leo nodded. "Okay, so where is our best place to set up an ambush of the truck?"

Bo follows the line of the road from the village to the bridge that gives access to Misr Island. He indicates the last branching road and then traces along to a spot about midway between that road and the bridge.

"This should be out of sight of any traffic heading for the turnoff and of the island end of the bridge. If it comes to shooting... Well, we can only hope the sound is taken for poachers." He grins: "If this was the States, anyone who heard it would probably write it off to bootleggers.

"I think that's the place. We put the car across the road here where a bend keeps them from seeing us until the last minute. A shotgun on each side behind them and someone to stick another in the driver's face. That's the way we used to hijack moonshine trucks in Louisiana.

"If they've got a car out in front of them-- Well, it'll get sticky."

She looked at Bo with concern.  "And what about their weapons?  Surely they wouldn't be unarmed.  If they had something more powerful than a shotgun, for instance..."  She frowned.  "How far is the house from the bridge?  I can't imagine they wouldn't react to the sound of gunfire."

In reply to Rosalie Elias (msg # 139):

Bo shrugs.

"That's the way we used to do it. Sometimes there was gunplay and people got hurt, but most folks --you shove a shotgun in their face-- get real quiet. The driver and the guard, if any, are gonna be in the cab. Back of a truck is real uncomfortable to ride in, if you don't have to." He sounds like he speaks from experience.

"If these guys are toting around Thompson guns... Well, we got no chance anyway.

"As for the guards at the bridge... We're hoping we don't need to shoot and they don't get to shoot. Vince and I'll go at the cab hard, try to give them no chance. If there is shooting and the guards come down the road... maybe we get a chance to take out a few more."

Walter shakes his head.

"This can't be certain or foolproof, Rosalie-- too many moving parts. All we can do is our best. I'm open to other ideas. What's yours?"

She shook her head.  "I don't really have another idea, unless the island can be approached from the water.  Is it all swamp and muck?  Or is there a clear way to get a boat through and approach from another side?  Any plan is going to pose risks, no matter which way we go."

Harry had listened to the plan and let the others speak before speaking up.

"I cannot see them confusing the gunshots for hunters."

"If you want a chance to find your missing friend it still seems like the best plan is for you two to slip in and try to snatch him while the three of us hit the lorry on it way in."

"If we hit them hard enough we should stand a pretty good chance. Especially if we can find a way to crash the truck. We don't need to make a stand-up fight out of it if we can cause the truck to crash and bloody them it might buy you boys enough time to find your friend."

"Even if Barrington manages to show up, still think it makes sense for you two have slipped in and have a chance to find your missing lad."

Moretti lit a cigarette, exhaling a stream of gray smoke. Shaking his head, he said, "Mr. Price, I'm not certain what you've been told, but there's more to the situation than just locating Tommy. These people...what they're gathering to do tonight has the potential to put several members of the Elias family in mortal danger. So it's not enough for us to just find our friend. We have to put a stop to what they're trying to accomplish, with or without Barrington's help. Some of the lives in this room depend on it."

Leo nodded at the suggested plan from Bo, then looked over at Price before Vince's response. "It's not just that. The odds are stacked against finding Tommy with the current light and weather. He's likely either well hidden, captured, or dead. If the first two, we won't find him by skulking around the grounds at night."

The physician looked down at the crude map. "We might need all of us to take out the truck. And that still might not be enough. With all five of us, plus some possibility of Barrington showing, well, that seems our best bet."

He looked over at Bo and Vince. "How are you two feeling?"

In reply to Dr. Leonardo Elias (msg # 144):

"Tip-top, Uncle," he grins.

"Ready to do whatever your family needs, sir." Moretti answered with a nod.

Leo nodded at their responses. "Okay, it's a little past 6 now. What time is best to set up our ambush?" The physician looked around at everyone for input.

”If the lorry sticks to its usual schedule, it will pick up its passengers at the Blue Pyramid at midnight. So, we should head to the site Bo’s chosen around eleven thirty.”

“That would give enough time for everyone to get comfortable in their position, let their eyes adjust to the dark. With the cold, we probably don’t want to go out any earlier than that.” He glanced at Bo for confirmation, taking a draw on his cigarette.

In reply to Vincent Moretti (msg # 148):

Bo nods at Vince's suggestion.

"We might as well get a hot meal. I'll change out of these muddy things and be right back down." He soon joins the others in the dining room.

Moretti followed Bo’s example and changed into fresh clothes. Shouldering back into his coat as he returned to the bar, he looked into the dining area, suddenly aware that he wasn’t hungry at all. Mentally, he argued back and forth about forcing himself to eat in spite of his inclinations, but finally decided against it. If Bo or the Eliases had instructions for him, he would follow them to the letter, no questions. They didn’t need any more of his input about the ambush.

Stepping over to the bar, he purchased two packages of cigarettes and asked the bartender to fill his flask with Kilvannon. After he settled up with the man, he ventured outside. Keeping beneath the pub’s overhang, he lit a cigarette and took a sip of liquor, watching the light rain drift down from the cold sky.

While Bo and Vince changed into warm, dry clothing, Leo began ordering food for everyone. He checked on local specialties and the soup of the day.

Once they had all gathered again and were eating, he looked around. "Seems we have our plan and our timing. Are there any other preparations we should make? Additional weapons or items we can add to the roadblock?"

"Anything we could take along would probably be helpful," she suggested.  "We don't know anything about this truck, how many people will be inside, or how well they're armed.  What do we have in the way of weapons?"

The server offers a rather simple menu, with options of scouse and bread, steak and ale pie, or fish and chips available this evening with a couple of local ales available as accompaniment. Taking his order, he brought out suitable quantities of food and ale for those as desired such, and left them to their business.

"Perhaps we can scrounge up a couple of axes and a few shovels to create an obstacle in the road to assist us in the ambush." Price had added.

Watching the Elias Party make their plans it was hard for Price not to conclude that they had given up hope on their missing member. While they ate Price also considered the desperate course of action they had decided upon and hoped that Inspector Barrington would arrive in time to allow them to act with the force of law.a

Price ordered some fresh fish and winter vegatables. He also produced a decent port to enjoy after the meal.

Replying to Miss Elias "Just a pistol and a shotgun."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:16, Wed 28 Feb 2018.

Walter tucks into the steak pie accompanied by two pints of ale.

"I expect the car facing down the road just around a bend will pull them up pretty sharp, Mr. Price."

"That will cause them to break but we need to make sure they don't force their way around or for that matter to keep them from backing up. Some simple obstacles will allow us to funnel them into position and keep them where we need them." Price said.

"But what do I know? I have never high jacked a truck." Price added.

"Having axes and shovels along is unlikely to hurt, and they might be useful. Good idea, Mister Price. Though we will likely need to procure them very soon if we still can. As for weapons, we have several shotguns, but I expect not much else. Anything else we should obtain before we depart?" Leo again looks around at the gathering.