At the Hotel Savoy, Mr. Cable is upstairs; Brother Clary is in the lobby, and Marianne Trevors has just entered the lobby.


OOC: We are at last able to post on the same thread !  Whew, I thought I'd never be able to manage it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:08, Fri 30 Jan 2009.

Marianne swept into the lobby, positively seething. Even if Hans Gruber wasn't there at the moment, or at least not physically - and this thought made her take a hasty look around in case he was practicing his disappearing trick again - this had his fingerprints all over it.

She stopped short when she saw a familiar face in the corner of the lobby. A look of complete astonishment appeared on her expression, displacing the anger as the pieces fell into place. It was followed by untempered delight. Marianne could hardly contain her smile as she walked up to her former adventuring companion. "Brother Clary!! I cannot believe my eyes! It has been years. How have you been?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:41, Sat 31 Jan 2009.

"'Ell, I'll be! Miss...Marianne, ain't it? You sure are a sight fer sore eyes; jest as purty as a field o' bluebonnets at sunset!"

Then he wrinkles his brow a bit.

"First Gruber, then you.  What brings you hear to Chicago?  Workin' on another book?  Or sumthin' else?"  He begins scanning the lobby for anything else that seemed out of place.

Marianne grinned mischievously. "You could say I'm here for a book. But as usual, my research has turned a bit... first-hand. I got a message from the mysterious Mr. Gray that I just had to investigate. If I had to guess, I'd say I'm actually here for the same reason you are. I was informed that there was some 'religious mook' working with our good old friend Hank and that dra- err that detective, Cable. That would be you, wouldn't it?"

"Don't even mention Gruber's name to me. He didn't say a word about you. Just let me go on about how I hoped to run into you here - and I'm glad I did!" she added with a clearly delighted smile, and then continued to complain. "He thinks he's being gentlemanly, making me run around in circles, chasing my own tail. Well, he'll find out soon enough."

Same old Marianne, same old temper.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:48, Mon 02 Feb 2009.

Clary and Marianne spoke in the opulent lobby, with Marianne disparaging Gruber. It was then she noticed a familiar form that stopped at the lobby door, to be turned away by the doorman; it was none other than Hans Gruber. He looked exhausted and sweaty, even shabbier than before, as if he'd run all the way from the fair.  On the sidewalk outside, Jasmine ran up and started yelling at him too, as if that wasn't enough; the glass doors were too thick for Marianne and Clary to hear what was being said, but from the German's red face and downcast eyes, Jasmine was laying into him pretty thick.

"Speak of the devil," Brother Clary muttered drily.  "Think we oughtta give him a hand, or let him stew a bit more?"

"Hmph... Forgive me if I don't feel quite so charitable towards him at the moment. I'll go investigate that note before he intervenes. Gray said he had information on Gruber, and an object that he's touched would apparently be useful in some capacity.

So what do you say, Brother Clary? Will you come with me? Or save our old friend from his well-deserved fate?" she asked with a grin.

Jasmine was still yelling at poor Hans Gruber, who was doing the greatly-ashamed toe-shuffle thing now.  The door opened; they could hear she was berating him in Arabic before it shut again.   Then she pointed at the hotel and stamped her foot.  He darted toward it as if she'd shot him out of a cannon, and was stopped again by the doorman.

Then Gruber said something to the doorman, who stepped back, with a startled look on his face, and held the door for the scruffy German as if he was visiting royalty.  In three quick strides Gruber was next to Clary and Marianne.

"It is not safe to speak to that Grey man !"  He said to Marianne, in as close to a nervous tizzy as she'd seen.  "He is Trouble !  Why do you not listen, I am doing my best to keep you safe !"

Brother Clary interposed himself between Gruber and Marianne.

"Now hold on jest a minute," he said, in his most calming gruff voice.  "S'pose you tell me what the problem with Grey is?  After all, that tough guy detective is meeting with him now.  Surely he can handle what's going on, right?"

Hans Gruber looked at Clary, the eyes bloodshot and weary, shaking his head.  Sweat had plastered some strands of his hair against his forehead.  "He has special power over - ladies.  But is not much safer for Steve Cable.  I - cannot approach him.  He has made sure of that.  But you - he cannot affect you as much, not with the Cross."

The black-clad Texan glanced over at the elevator through narrowed eyes.  "Stay here with Marianne,' he said sharply to Gruber.  Then he was off toward the elevators like a blast from his shotgun.

"Why don't you ever tell me the truth?" Marianne snapped back, extremely annoyed at the German. "I know you think you're protecting me, but it's getting in the way. What happened really with the evening star? Why does Jasmine need something that Gray touched?" she demanded.

At Brother Clary's comment, Marianne's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "Stay here with Marianne?!" she exclaimed. For once, it wasn't Gruber who was the target of her ire.

The elevators were somewhere near the ninth floor, to judge from the arrow.  Presently, the doors to the stairs shot open, to reveal an irate Steve Cable.

"I have taken a vow," the German said solemnly, at Marianne's accusation.  "The evening star - " he paused then, rubbing his chin, which was in need of a shave.  "Jasmine - "  he began again, then gave up, with a massive shrug.  "Is not safe here.  Is not -"  And then he suddenly folded up, with a sigh, sprawling unconscious across the oriental rug as if someone had poleaxed him.

Steve looked around for the preacher.  Gone.  Familiar form of Gruber, on the floor. Red-headed dame next to him. Hotel staff not yet re-acting.

"Hiya doll, nice gams, why'd you lay him out?" He subtly pulled his jacket open to flash his shoulder holster. Standing there in white hat, grey suit and holding a violin case.

"You seen a sky-pilot hanging out here? Well what's your story, morning glory?"
This message was last edited by the player at 00:19, Thu 05 Feb 2009.

Marianne was not impressed. Her eyebrow rose as she stared frostily at the man, completely ignoring the gun and his comment on the 'gams'. "Mr. Cable, I presume? The 'tough guy' detective who recruits children?"

She bent down to check whether Gruber was still breathing, and then tried to lift him up, clearly expecting the detective to help. "Brother Clary went looking for you. I'd wager anything that the mysterious Mr. Gray is behind this, and we have ten seconds to leave while we still can."

"Children are useful, they see things."

He grabbed Gruber in one arm.

"Let's go," He headed out towards the glass doors. His left hand on the violin case.

Marianne lugged Gruber as far as she could with Cable's help, but it was a struggle. They were never going to make it before Grey and his men showed up. And then they had to find a way to warn Brother Clary. "Oh, for- here, why don't you take Gruber, and I'll take that case? Whatever do you need it for anyway?"

Gruber was out cold; Cable recalled another time, when under major stress, that the German had simply gone to sleep.  The German was dead weight but breathing.

But, now, all of a sudden, other people in the lobby were noticing him on the floor.  The doorman who had held the door for Gruber - as if the scruffy man was royalty - now was demanding that they remove That Vagrant immediately.

And, massing on the sidewalk outside, all stopping to look directly at the hotel, were Grey Men.  Four already; four more approaching from all directions.

"Music lovers just never get appreciated enough."

"Second time Gruber passed out when he was needed."

"How wbout lending a hand getting this drunk out buddy!"


"What do you know about those stiffs outside?"

Passed her the heavy case. (14lb.)

He loosened his collar yanked out his crucifix with White magic protector. Then his Chinese eye to take a peak at the Greymen.

"Oh, no, no, no." She saw the Grey Men amassing outside the hotel. "Gruber took care of them last time. I don't know what they do other than spy. Jasmine!" She hurried forward and peeked out of the glass doors, careful not to get too close to the Grey Men. And then, failing that, "Taxi!!"

Brother Clary fought his way through the throngs of people now beginning to gather around the small group.

"Fer the love of God, people!" He shouted, pushing his way to Gruber.  "Cain't you see this man needs air!"  With that, he helped Cable shoulder some of the burden that was the German aviator.

Seeing the gaggle of gray men gathering outside, he set his chin forward and followed Cable's example of ensuring that the Lupino Cross he had received so many years ago was plainly visible.  Glancing over at the PI, he said in low voice, "Let's go!"

"Thought you'd need rescuing. You know this tomato behind us?"

Steve pushed through through the doors, cross visible. Free kick at any getting too close.

"'Mater?  Oh, you mean Miss Marianne.  Yeah we go back a' ways..."

He returned to the business at hand.

The Grey Men saw Brother Clary.  It was an uncanny sight - they all froze, emitted some high-pitched squeaks, and backed away.  Clary and Cable dragged the German from the hotel, onto the street, while Marianne looked for Jasmine (disappeared) and yelled for a taxi.  The same guy that had dropped her off was at the end of the street, having stopped at a cart for a hot dog.  He waved and hopped back into his cab, apparently intending to pick them up.

One of the Grey Men made an attempt to move towards them; a smoky vapour leaked from the gaps in its clothing, and it hurriedly moved back.  And then the day went black, black as night, black without anything but pitch darkness.

"Huh eclipse, ."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:42, Fri 06 Feb 2009.

"The Lupino Cross!" It was a relieved exclamation. Marianne was never so glad to see it. That would keep the Grey men away, pitch dark or not.

Disregarding the darkness for a second - though she stuck rather close to Brother Clary - "What's going on? Why were you at Grey's? Is the scepter safe?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Sat 07 Feb 2009.

"Grey wants me to steal the scepter. Too powerful in hands of anyone but him."

"He wants you to steal it?!" Marianne was startled. "I thought you just got finished getting it back..." Could he have fallen victim to Grey? "And what do you think?"
This message was last edited by the player at 07:52, Sat 07 Feb 2009.

"I told him no and went on the lam, took the stairs so as not to get trapped."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:28, Fri 06 Feb 2009.

Unfortunately, the darkness was so absolute that the three people couldn't tell where the taxi was, nor the door of the hotel, or, in fact, anything.  It was pitch black, a darkness unrelieved by the fact that it should be daylight, with plenty of visibility.  There was no visibility, just their voices.

"Who brought a match, or flashlight."

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.(Isaiah 9:2)

The black-clad Texan breathed the above verse just above a whisper.  "Lord," he began hoarsely,  "if there ever were a time fer a 'great light,' now is it."

"Hold on to each other and keep moving towards where the curb should be preacher."

Steve got his .45 out keeping it low by Gruber's side.

Marianne minced towards the curb in the darkness, struggling with the violin case in the dark. It seemed as if neither of the other two had any idea what was going on either. Whatever it was, it was some serious magic. "Ben 'Whitey' Weintraub - how much do you trust him? And who would you rather face - White or Grey?" she asked suddenly.

"I trust neither, Grey though is quite mad I determined in my interview."

Steve used his left hand and brought the Chinese amulet up to his eye to see if that helped.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:43, Sat 07 Feb 2009.

"Very well, then. If it comes to it, White it is." Marianne rummaged in her bag trying to find the vial that Mr. White had given her the day before. She didn't know exactly what it would do, but it was better than finding themselves face to face with a madman when the darkness lifted.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:46, Sat 07 Feb 2009.

There was a muffled series of sounds, that indicated that the Grey Men were about to try something - perhaps attack them.  Only the Lupino Cross was keeping them back at the moment.

Steve Cable recalled the dingy old crystal the Chinaman had given him, and got an eyeful. 

Brother Clary prayed, and was rewarded with a green glow, emanating from the cross; but since he was the faithful, only he was able to see what it showed. 

Marianne was stuck in darkness, but rummaged in her purse for the vial that White had given her.

Looking through

"We're still on Earth. Cab is 6 feet to right."

Steve fired at the closest grey on left, interested in the effect and sure bullet would hit granite.

The eye went dark dark.

Brother Clary spoke up.  "I don't know 'bout you folks, but I kin see the cab.  We need to git to it NOW!  Somethin's not right about Gruber."  He began to quicken his pace even before the shot rang out.

"I'll say, he looks more like he belongs raiding henhouses than airplanes. He either ain't human or been altered."

Steve stopped when they bumped into the cab.

Marianne didn't even waste time talking, just ran to the cab. "Drake Hotel!" she told the cabbie, getting in. "Make it quick, and I'll make it worth your while."

Once in the cab, Brother Clary looked at Cable.  "You saw 'im, too?  What about you Miss Marianne?"

Marianne nodded. "I knew something was wrong. He was able to disappear into thin air, and see all sorts of magic creatures. He told me about being lost in the forest when he was a child, and that it changed him. I just didn't realize how much. Maybe that's why he never drank from the fountain." She was looking at Brother Clary as she said this last, and then frowned. "He looked as if he was badly in pain."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:31, Mon 09 Feb 2009.

The three manhandled Gruber, if indeed that was who it was, into the cab and with Brother Clary's directions as the shotgun seat, got away.   Mr. Blank apparently couldn't shoot worth diddly, as his next two shots only pinged off the door and the sidewalk.    The light flooded back, as if someone had turned on a switch, but the cabbie was nervous.  "I don't know what happened back there, it was like I was havin' a stroke or somethin, everything went black," he said, nearly wiping out an old lady in a crosswalk.  She shook her cane at him.


In the backseat, draped across the floor, Gruber started to stir.  His features filled out into the familiar ones they knew, and he relaxed, as if the pain was ending, but he was still gone.  The cab pulled up at the Drake Hotel just as he started to blink.

"Nothing, just a solar eclipse. Early 4th of July celebration too....... Jeez Buddy, those Sears & Roebuck licenses can be revoked."

Seeing the old Bat.

"What's at the Drake and what about Dr. Moreau here?" Thumbs Gruber.

Steve checks out the chassis next to him, now that danger is past.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:01, Mon 09 Feb 2009.

Marianne looked a little shaken as she put the vial back in her bag. This tiny little thing had rolled back the darkness? Or was it just a coincidence? "Did you see that? The vial? It's something powerful."

She cleared her thoughts. "Nothing, really. I just wanted to get away from there. And we needed a place to speak freely. You promised me answers, Mr. Gruber," she reminded the German who was just waking up. "How are you feeling?"

Gruber blinked, winced, and climbed out of the cab as if every muscle was sore, looking once again like the too-thin, scruffy German they had seen before. "Jah, jah, answers," he muttered.  "Like someone danced on me all night, that is how I am feeling, thank you very much."  Then, once full awareness had returned, the changeable eyes went from face to face, and his expression hardened as he realised that they knew something about him now - apparently something he'd planned on keeping from them.  For an instant, it looked like he might bolt - and the German had a good pace on him - but then he just stood there.  "Jah, all right.  You have captured me fairly and I am bound to answer the truth."

Marianne paid the cabbie and gave him a tip that was even more generous than the last, since the poor guy had had to drive through bullets and darkness.

Once they were upstairs and away from prying eyes and ears, she asked the first question on her mind. "Who are you? Are you really Hans Gruber?"

Gruber looked at her for a moment before answering.  "If you mean am I the Hans Gruber that flew you and your companions to the Fountain of Youth, yes, that is true.  About thirty years ago a young boy of your race came into our forest.  We accepted him and I took his form, because I had business to attend to in your world.  You call it, Changeling, or killcrop.  I have been Hans Gruber for a long time."

"A Doppelganger.  Why do you fall asleep all the time in danger, that must be inconvenient in a dogfight?"

"The Grey Sorcerer knows what I am," Hans Gruber replied.  "So he can craft a spell to put me down.   I knew it was a risk to approach his lair, but I had to try to help you.  I did not know that I would be the one needing help."  Then he bowed, deeply and gracefully.  "For which I thank you."

"So this grey sorcerer, tell us about him. I noticed he was enraged when refused. What's his Achilles Heel?"

"I am not a mage, so I cannot answer beyond what I know," Gruber replied. "His body is frail and old, it is his mind that is his greatest weapon and advantage.  He has his army of constructs, and can control the minds of humans.  The Grey Men can kill, but they are not intelligent.  He will most likely try to steal the Morning Star tonight, at the Grand Ball, by causing you to see nothing but darkness.  But he will have a backup plan.  He is a great one for plans."

"Can the constructs be killed or just by the preachers cross>"

"I still can't believe Sultan Rashid would show it with all these threats around," Marianne grumbled again. It was truly incomprehensible the way men's minds worked. She turned back to Gruber with a suspicious look, still not sure she bought that he truly was the same person. He had never seemed normal, exactly, but this was a little strange, even for her.

"If you are Hans Gruber, did the pirates see who you really were? What happened that day with the evening star? And when you broke the scepter? And what is your relationship with Ben White and with Jasmine?" The questions shot out one after another.

"They can be destroyed, if they are damaged enough."  Gruber told Cable. "I sneak up behind them.  He has made them immune to bullets, but cutting them, or punching them, can cause damage."

Under Marianne's rapid-fire, he cringed.  "My glamourie is good, which is the small magic I use to appear human," he said, "But they knew I was not a normal person.  That is one of the reasons they trust me.  The Evening Star, "  he paused to take a deep breath.  "I am charged with recovering the star gems and the message in the Sceptre.  But there is a provision.  I cannot steal the items myself; someone else must do it, then I may take it from them.  I took the Evening Star from Ben Weintraub, five years ago.   I knew him from Arkham; he used to drive whisky from Canada, and we would trade for rum.  When he jumped from the plane, I had already taken it, and when I crashed, I hid it in the sand until I could reclaim it.  And I didn't really break the Sceptre, I just opened it to look for the message.   And Jasmine - she -"  red flooded his ears and the blush quickly spread.  "She is in love with me.   And - I have feelings for her, and I am also ten times her age, and I am not human, and her father is an old friend of mine, so there is a lot of trouble there for me."  The way he said 'trouble' was vintage Gruber.  "She was the one that told me you were at the hotel."

The volley of questions continued, though slower as her suspicions eased. "Message in the scepter? Was it instructions to harness the gems' power? And who charged you with recovering them?"

"The message was instructions for the gems," Hans Gruber replied. "Ayesha was to have entrusted them and their power to her female heir, but she did not produce any female heirs - that was the agreement.  I am sent to reclaim the gems and the message by my King, as I am also tasked with finding other lost treasures and returning them."

Marianne grinned. "It isn't surprising that Mr. White sent me to find you after that. So you're handicapped in a way, when it comes to getting the gems. You need our help."

She had trusted the German with her life many times over, and he had never let her down so far. She believed his story. All the pieces fit with what he had told her earlier. "So far we have the Fox, the Englishman, Grey and White that we know of after the gems, is that right? Perhaps we can 'help' one of them steal the gem and then turn it over to you? Or steal it ourselves." This last was said with a certain amount of thoughtfulness that belied the twinkle in her eyes.

"How about we don't. Does it ever occur to anyone stealing is wrong? How about we kill these supernatural freaks, slam the Gates of Hades shut and tell them thanks, but no thanks, Keep Out!"


"I spent all night battling HP Lovecraft's pantheon, I returned the jewels to their rightful owner and got payed ande I got a contract put on my head by Satan. Why again do I need add thief to my credits?"

The insulted, otherworldly repo man folded his arms and scowled.  "It isn't stealing if you take it from a thief - there are different moral codes beyond your own, Mr. Cable.  I have to follow the rules.  And so many people want the gems, they'll be tripping over themselves to get to it first.  And - "  he stopped to think, something that Marianne knew might take a while, "It will be dangerous.  Soloman Grey will be the most dangerous, but then there is the Englishman, who will try for it.....I need a plan.  I am not so good with plans. It took me years to think of how to get Ben Weintraub to Algiers to steal the Evening Star."  There was another pause.  "And I don't know who summoned the Afrit, and if they will try to summon it again.  I only know of the one Djinni - the Djinni of the Ruby Ring, the one that the Sultan's Aunt wears."

Steve laughed.

"Then riddle me this, foxy. How come when the Sultan owned the scepter; soulless ones weren't strolling down Elm St talking to cats, flying demons weren't strafing innocent bystanders, darkout zones stayed happily indoors and the only contracts being passed out were by Al Capone? Eventually this ruckus is going to cause a knock on the door and some guy with angel wings will walk in with some God's Fire to toss around."

"I'm going home, you folks can plot, I need sleep. I have no doubt I'll see you and your entourage tonight."

Marianne looked rather happy at the prospect of losing the annoying company of the detective. As far as she was concerned, if he was going to persist in being so shortsighted, they were better off without him. But it just wasn't in her nature to let a statement like that go without comment. The detective thought Rashid was the best protector for the gems? It was his idiocy in bringing them out here that started this whole thing, as far as she was concerned.

"So you had a bad night last night. So did all of us, Mr. Cable. I don't take well to being shot at and chased through the streets of Cairo either. But you're mad if you think it's going to get better. You haven't seen the demon of all demons arise, yet, and that is exactly what will happen tomorrow unless we succeed," she snapped.

"Do you know the Sultan dismissed all the guards the night the scepter was stolen because he fancied himself in love? And he insists on showing them tonight regardless of the danger. He's been doing everything he possibly can to help the thieves, if you ask me. I suppose you trust him to keep the ancient powers contained. How like a man!

Well, take this bit of friendly advice, Mr. Cable. If you truly think the gems are safe with Rashid, stay far away from the ball. For if they are ever used... well, I've been told there are things worse than demons, but I have no desire to meet them. Mr. Gruber, would you please tell our reluctant companion what we may be facing if the gems are used?"

She was well and truly fuming right now. Whoever could protect the gems was the only rightful owner of the gems. And the list of grievances she could lay at the Sultan's feet were growing by the minute. How she would like to meet him and give him a piece of her mind!

She pointedly ignored the detective and turned to Gruber. "I think White is our best chance. When he came to me, he said he was planning to take the gems to a safe place. I think I can convince him that I believe him and would like to help. The vial gives me something of an excuse. By the way, Mr. Gruber, do you know what's in the vial? It was something very powerful.

Brother Clary, what will you do?" She began pacing as she thought out loud.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:13, Mon 16 Feb 2009.

"Rashid's family had it hidden away in a crypt," Hans Gruber replied, with a shrug, to Cable's comments. "It was not easy for Ben Weintraub to get out, that's why he only got the one gem, not both, and not the Sceptre.    The gems are sources of great power.   The safest place for them is back where they came from.   I have become rather fond of this world and would be sad to see it subjugated."

"I know Ben for a long time," Gruber nodded at Marianne's suggestion.  "It is only that he is working for your government that makes me worry, they do not always make good choices."  At the sight of the vial, he stepped back a pace.  "It's very powerful - it is the bone of one of your holiest men, one that had special sight."  It took a while for the other penny to drop, as was typical for the German.  "I will go speak to Ben," Gruber said, scowling again, "Since he knows about me, he will have...questions.  It would be good to have his help."

"Suit yourself, Herr Leutnant. I'll see you tonight."


OOC To home

Marianne turned away from the detective's departure with a sniff. They would all be in for a nasty time if someone managed to get their hands on the gems, and she had been in enough tight spots in the last seven years to know burying your head in the sand never helped. Besides, by nature she just had to be involved in everything, and considered a lack of that quality as a serious character flaw in others.

"You mean he truly works for the Americans?" Marianne was fascinated. She had thought he had been lying about that, but it seemed Ben Weintraub had come a long way from his days smuggling whisky across the border. "Well then, really, if even the Yanks are in on stealing the gems, what's he got to worry about?" she remarked with an annoyed look at the departed detective's quickly retreating figure.

"The Americans might decide to keep it for themselves instead of giving it back, but Ben did say he wanted to put it either on the moon or at the fountain. He might - just - agree to help. Perhaps Brother Clary and I should go first to make sure he's agreeable. That's assuming you agree to come with us, of course, Brother Clary. But wouldn't you say we were on the side of angels on this one?" she tried to cajole the good brother to join in with them. After their adventures at the fountain, she appreciated his steady presence - and his skill with a shotgun.

"But here's another thought. Even if someone stole the gems, wouldn't they need a woman of Ayesha's bloodline to use them? Do you know who they are? Maybe we could just protect them instead?"

Brother Clary pushed his hat back a bit on his forehead revealing a few unruly strands of sandy-colored hair.  He scratched his head, and then replaced the hat to its perch.

"Miss Marianne, I don't cotton to lettin' you outta my sight until this thing is over, since Gruber done said that Grey might have some sorta power over women-folk.  Where you go, we go." He said this last while pattng his shotgun.

"I shore hope the angels are in the middle o' this.  'Twouldn't hurt none to have their help.  But I'm not worried that we'll be abandoned any."

Gruber gave Marianne a puzzled look.  "You TRUST this government ?"

He paced back and forth a little, arms folded across his chest, clearly trying to think.  "There is no way I can stop Grey," he said.  "All I can do is to stay away from him, and he will be at the Ball, I am sure of that.  That means he will be able to cause much trouble.  I will guard Miss Trevors and keep her from harm.  Grey has not seen you, Brother Clary, so he will not be expecting anything from you.  You may be able to approach him and keep him from casting a spell.   I will speak to Ben Weintraub and try to get his help.   If he truly understands the gems' power, he may decide to help me too.  Without the bloodline of Ayesha, the gems cannot reach their full power - but they are still very strong.  But then...."  he paced some more, "Then there is that....Englishman, and maybe others who will try for the Morning Star."

Steve got a taxi home and headed in for sleep been awake 26 hours now, less a couple of hours at Chang's.

Marianne smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't advocate telling Mr. Weintraub straight off. We'll sound him out first. I'll tell him I saw your true form and ran for the hills," she replied with a twinkle.

"Brother Clary, it'll be just like old times! Although I'll wager Mr. McCurdy, wherever in the world he is, is glad to miss this one. Let's go find the redoubtable Mr. White, shall we?"

At the mention of the Arkansas PI, The Texan grinned broadly.  "Y'know, I was just thinkin' 'bout him.  This other fella ain't nothin' like McCurdy, is he?"  Growing somber again, he creased his brow in reflection.

"As I said, Miss Marianne, I'm goin' with you to make sure nothin' happens.  I know, I know, you kin take care o' yourself, but as the Good Book says, Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.*"



*(Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)

Marianne looked a little skeptical. Stubborn, slightly slow, thought of himself as a tough guy. In some ways he sounded almost exactly like McCurdy to her.

"You don't know how much I appreciate it, Brother Clary," she replied with a secret grin. The good preacher might think he was only accompanying her to 'protect' her, but he would soon find himself well and truly involved in the situation. People who hung around her nearly always did.

"Well, let's go find Mr. White before he leaves for the ball. Mr. Gruber, we'll meet you there and then discuss the plan."

OOC Back at the fair


Steve arrived a few minutes later at the Sultan's tent.

There was a great deal of hubbub at the tent; four Caucasian security guards, wearing the badges of A-1 security, were interspersed with more dark-robed, veiled, horribly beweaponed Arabs, all stationed around the Sultan's front door.  The annoying Ali was sighing heavily, sitting on the doorstep with his chin propped up by his knees.  At the appearance of Steve Cable, he sighed again.
"Oh most noble and delightful of detectives, it is the joy of my eyes to see you approach," he greeted Steve, with a complete lack of enthusiasm.  He looked exhausted.
"I'm sorry, Sir, there's no admittance right at this time," the head security guard said, in a very polite tone.

"Ali I need to see the Sultan and or his Aunt, and I mean like six hours ago. I'm late and this clown troop here won't get done what needs doing."

"He is on the approved list," Ali said, as the guard started to think up reasons to deny Steve admission.  With a slow, creaky motion, the 'boy' stood up.  "I will take you to Ayada, Mr. Cable.  Rashid is -indisposed-."

With minimum fuss, Steve Cable was shown inside.  There was plenty going on in there, too; more robes hustling about, with crates, heavy chains and the like, packing up the treasures, and a very harried looking Aunt Ayada fussing about in the background, with two handmaidens about her age following after her, one with a clipboard, one with a pitcher of something to drink.  Ayada was gabbling on a mile a minute in Arabic, which the one with the clipboard was noting on the clipboard.  It was only after a moment that she noticed Ali and Steve Cable, and fluttered her plump hands.  "Oh, Mr. Cable," she said, in her accented English.  "It is most distressing.  We have had terrible news that someone will try to steal the Morning Star."

"Succeed is most likely.  Like every guest on the list and a few gate crashers for good matter. Even better some folks have been dabbling with things man weren't meant to know, so some of your crashers will look like they stepped out of that Buck Rogers movie the Fair has been showing, only with better make-up."

"So if you want to keep that jewel you'd best head for home. Like yesterday. Train, plane, automobile or kick scooter."

"I need a favor too, that ring. I can cause a disturbance if needed during the party tonight."

Ayada stared at Steve Cable for a moment, then fluttered her plump hands in a complex pattern, as if shooing invisible chickens.  "Is impossible !" she declared.  "We promised.  Honour is at stake.  And - " she stopped then, staring at Ali, who looked as if he'd just been slapped.   Then she spoke in Arabic to Clipboard Lady and Other Lady-in-Waiting, a rapid singsong of words.

Pitcher Lady offered Steve Cable a cup of the blackest coffee he'd ever seen, in a delicate enamelled brass cup, while Ayada fretted.  It was clear she was torn between helping Cable, and dealing with whatever else had cropped up in her life.

Steve drank some coffee.

"Whoa, that clears some cobwebs."

"Trouble's coming, you need make decisions. unlike President Coolidge's motto, this won't roll off the road before getting here either."

Ayada had stopped her fussing and was standing there, thinking, her dark eyes as set as a general's on the dawn of the big battle.  "I will give you my ring for the day, if you will help me," she said.  "You must return it by dawn, tomorrow, for I will give Ali his freedom, if the Star stays in our possession when we return home.  But here it is, Mr. Cable; we must display the Gem, or at least give the appearance of doing so, just as we must be present at this Grand Ball - a matter of diplomacy.  There is no one I trust to take the gem away now, either; not at this time.  There have been too many troubling bits of information that have come my way."

"I'll get your ring back to you.  But Dark forces are afoot. Technically Light Forces are afoot too, it should get interesting."

Ayada nodded.  "Then we have an accord," she said, formally, and drew the ring from her finger as if unsheathing a sword, and offered it to him in the palm of her hand.  He could have sworn the ruby winked at him, and he noticed Ali staring at him as if measuring him up.

The ring was heavy gold, butter-yellow, and just barely fit on the smallest finger on his left hand.  Ali stood and offered a salaam to him. "The genie of the ring is yours to command," he said.

"Salaam Alikiem Ali. Think I'll go see if any characters have showed up yet. Where will my violin case be safe but reachable."

It was about time to dress for the ball.  Ali shrugged.  "I can hide it in the ballroom easily enough.  Do you want it taped to the underside of your table, by the front door, or near the stage where the Star gem is displayed ?"

"Under the table please."

Steve adjusted his tuxes bow tie.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:24, Wed 29 Apr 2009.