ooc: Hahahaha! It's so true isn't it? You poor thing.

You and Lily both head inside, the native woman pulling out a pistol just in case. The place is completely dark but you know where the lanterns are and light one with a shaking hand. The place looks untouched at least, everything is undisturbed which, though comforting, is also eerie. You're used to life and noise and laughter here. You both head upstairs, in hopes your mother is simply in her room but as you open the door it is also dark. The bed is made and everything looks as it should except of course your missing mother. Lily bends down and picks up a piece of paper from the ground, handing it to you with a worried face. It's an address, hastily scribbled.

1201 Southington Street

Then, stiffening, Lily points to something else. There appears to be dried blood on the corner of your mother's nightstand, and a few strands of hair.

Rushing over to the blood, Josephine was clearly not in a right state of mind as she squealed unhappily and spun around, rushing out the door without a word. She was going to find mama, and find her fast!

Lily chases you, grabbing your hand and whirling you to face her. Calm down Jo! Listen to me! she grips you firmly. We're not going to go into this half cocked! Let's go get helped before we rush into the unknown, you hear me? There's a good chance your mother is still alive. She's probably bait for you, why else the telegram? Besides, there's not enough blood for her to have been killed here. She's probably leverage to use against you. Now calm down and breathe!

Being spun around, Josephine grunted in surprise, her eyes wide in fear for her mother's safety,

"But... You don't understand! We have to save her!" she said again, trying to pull away desperately. It was obvious that lily's words weren't hitting home, not when her mother's life was in peril...

Shaking her head in exasperation, Lily bends down and to your surprise, hoists you over her shoulder, gripping your legs tightly as she marches you down the street, hailing a hansom cab at the same time. What am I going to do with you? she mutters as she walks towards the stopped carriage. You're out of control. You'll do as I say until your wits return. Got it? She then lowers you down and gently pushes you inside the cab, giving them orders to the warehouse. Once inside she speaks firmly but kindly. What I intend will only take an extra half hour or so and it could mean the difference between living and dying. Whoever has your mother probably doesn't know about your connection with the men of letters yet. They've just bitten off more than they can chew and we're going to shove it down their throats. Alright?

ooc: She's going to take you to headquarters for reinforcements. Let me know your reactions/ mindset and plans in the meantime. Naturally you are free to propose another plan if you have one ;P

Suddenly being lifted up as of she weighed nothing brought a surprised yelp from Josephine, and she reached out in fear of falling, but Lily held her strongly. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, her eyes were still wild, even as Lily stuffed her forcibly into a carriage.

She paused, seemingly listening, but if Lily was observant, she'd see the fire behind her eyes, planning on running. Waiting a moment, she finally lunged for the door, trying to argue as she did so,

"Fine, you get reinforcements, I'll find her... she needs me!" she tried to proclaim as she went for the door awkwardly over Lily.

Oooooooh! she screeches in frustration. You're just determined to get yourself killed aren't you!? she snaps. Fine! She hauls you out of the carriage but grips your arm with the strength of a vice. She calls up to the driver, Change of plans. I need you to drive to a house, 221 Lexington way. Pound on the door til a man named Marcus Andreas answers, then take him to 1201 Southington Street. Tell him Lily told you to do this and that he owes you five dollars. Got it? the driver looks hesitant and confused but Lily growls impatiently. Ten then! Tell him ten dollars! If you mention my name he's good for it. Now hurry you fool or you'll get nothing and my boot up your ass while I'm at it! The driver pales but nods quickly and off he goes. Then Lily turns to you, still angry but not completely at you thankfully. Alright, let's hope your impatience doens't get anyone killed eh? Come on, we can make it by foot if we run she then releases you and makes good on her words, sprinting down several streets. It's an effort to keep up but your worry gives you speed you otherwise wouldn't have. Eventually you end up at a large brick storehouse and Lily pulls you aside, barely even breathing hard though it's all you can do not to gasp and wheeze. Now, as much as I'm sure you want to fling yourself inside and wring your hands at anyone you meet, we need to do this stealthily. Think you can handle that? she arches a dry brow.

ooc: Go ahead and make any plans for entrance. There are several windows you could probably try to jimmy open or break but you'll need to roll move silently and hide as well as listen and search checks. Heh, heh, hopefully you have better luck than usual....mwahahahahaha!

Flinching a bit at lily's tone, Josephine still ran like hell when given the chance, satisfied that she could even talk Lily into things.

When they arrived, she leaned on her knees to breathe and nodded silently. Looking around, she tried to find a window to open and slip inside with Lily, ready to find her mom. Admittedly she may not have searched well because of her worry, but she at least tried...



28 hide
23 move silently
2 search Jesus im actually blind. At least my luck is consistent.
19 listen

Fortunately you are able to get the window open with little trouble, after looking inside to make sure it's empty of course. Fortunately the room is dark and as you both drop down into it, it seems to be full of crates and boxes. From what little you can see by the moonlight streaming in you anticipate there are probably a handful more rooms in the building and since you're mother is clearly not in this one, you pay attention to little else. Lily, however, is more attentive and she carefully opens a box to discover several rolled up scrolls. She swears. So this is where they keep them she mutters. These scrolls are used to summon demons. They're building an army. We need to burn this place down....after we rescue your mother! she adds quickly, seeing worry on your face.

Then, as you talk you can suddenly hear voices approach and Lily signals you to hide. Two men enter the room, carrying a large crate. This should be the last of them one grunts as they set it down. Finally! the other sighs. We'd better not have to move them again! I still don't think this is a safe place for em, considering we'll probably have company any day now. Hm...maybe. But you dropped that address what, weeks ago? You'd think someone would have come by now. Maybe the wench's daughter doesn't care about her and we wasted our time for nothin!

Hearing the men speak, Josephine listened. As they spoke about her mother, however, her eyes narrowed and she glanced lily's way... Indicating she was about to act.

Standing up quietly behind the men, her shotgun in hand, Josephine had anger and no pretense as she unloaded the blast from a foot away into the men's skulls...

"Nobody talks about momma that way." she said flatly, gritting her teeth.



I don't know the modifiers for my shotgun since it's not on my sheet but I rolled an unmodified 15!plus I'm hoping point blank helps!

Lily moves to stop you but she's too slow to realize just what you're planning and by then it's too late. Your shot hits true, though they appear to be demons as they survive the blast. Still, it's a good hit and they are very much taken by surprise, bleeding heavily on the storeroom floor. You're just determined to get us killed aren't you? Lily mutters as she fires her pistol at one, hitting him across the shoulder. In retaliation, they both draw their weapons and fire back, one fortunately missing though the other grazes your leg as you duck behind a stack of crates for cover. Stay behind something at least will you? she adds with concern, glancing at your leg. Fortunately it's not bad yet but you aren't exactly in a good spot...

ooc: Don't worry, I'll look up the modifiers later. For now I'm just happy you hit something! Also, you take 7 damage. Next round and hopefully the dice gods will continue to be kind!

Josephine slides behind a box, not having intended on hiding but it was better she did because these demons were easily twice her speed able to draw and fire in the same time she only shot!

Firing randomly over her shoulder, not even looking, she shrugged at Lily. She didn't know what to say about her combat abilities.


Ooc a 3. That's more like it!

Lily rolls her eyes at you and proceeds to pop out just enough to fire a shot and then take cover again. From the sounds of it she hits one but in return she takes a graze by the collarbone and gasps in surprise, pressing her hand against the wound. You hear the grunts of one of the demons, no doubt doing the same thing with his and he barks to the other, Quick! Go bring the woman!

ooc: Hahaha! You poor thing! Go ahead and roll for 3 rounds worth. One of them is bound to do something!

Squinting as debris flew from the demon shots, Josephine shrugged,

"Mama raised a natural born troublemaker, what can I say?" she laughed softly, turning and firing multiple shots hoping to connect.


11, 2, 20 natural

Your first shot grazes one, the second one misses and hits a window and the third hits squarely in the chest. Even Lily looks impressed at that one though how much was luck and how much was skill you'd rather not think about. The remaining demon isn't idle though, and hits as good as he gets. You are struck across the side with a bullet and it hurts incredibly, though Lily grunts you'll be alright, especially since she takes a bullet herself a moment later.

We can't keep doing this! she snarls, shooting him in the leg with a curse. Just then the door flings open again and the demon is back, shouting at you to stop. Stop shooting you fools! Unless you want to hit your mother? he sneers. To Jo's horror he enters, your mother's arm gripped tightly in his hand. She looks at you with equal surprise. Jo!? What are you doing here!? she's covered in bruises.

"Mama?" Jo cried out softly, peeking over her cover, all looks of fighting instantly vanishing from her face as she sees her mother in obvious danger.

Glancing over towards Lily with wet eyes, its fairly obvious to her that the fight has just been wrenched out of her, and she doesn't know what to do...

Your mother immediately turns to the demons with rage in her bruised face. You let her go! You have me, that should be enough! she snarls. She turns to you. Honey, you've got to get out of here! Run, right now! One of the demons chuckles at this. I think not. Either surrender now woman or your mother is good as dead

Jo held her shotgun up, looking over at Lily. Unless her half possessed friend did something dramatic right now, Josephine was giving up.

"Im sorry mama... I tried..." she said softly, preparing to give up.

Don't you dare Jo! she snaps and then to everyone's surprise she slams her body into the demon in an attempt to distract him so you can escape. Lily sees her opportunity and shoots her pistol at the man, hitting him squarely while the other one tries to get a hold of your mother again. She struggles and twists, restraints or not and Lily shoots again, finishing off the first demon. To your dismay, however, the second demon in a rage hurls the poor woman against the wall, hard. She slams into it and then falls limp, though you are betting she's merely unconscious. The demon looks at you both with blazing eyes, raising his hand to probably do the same to you. Shoot him! Lily snarls.

Seeing her mom spring into action, Josephine was already pulling the trigger by the time her mom had been thrown aside. Soon as she was clear of the blast radius, Josephine unloaded on the demon beside her.


rolled 11 before mods

The bullet hits and Lily follows up with more of her own, leaving the demon dead at last. The native woman quickly rushes to your mother and hoists her over her shoulder. We should go out the way we came. Can you help me push her through the window?

Just as you are about to do so though, the door flings open violently, actually ripping it off its hinges. A single man stands in the doorway and you can't help but gape in complete shock. It is your father.

"And that's what you GET messin' with a Hartley!" Jo said defiantly, cursing at the deceased demon as Lily picked up her mother. Approaching, she was about to insist on checking out her ma's condition when the door exploded inwards, and she flinched, raising her arm to cover her face. When she lowered her arm, she was extremely surprised, as her heart skyrocketed, and she took a tentative step towards her father,

"Daddy?" she asked uncertainly, having been burned so many times recently, that she was loathe to assume anything. Her heart, however, had other ideas, as it promptly melted, and she took another hopeful step towards him,

"Daddy, is that you?" she asked, every ounce of missing her father pouring into her words as she saw the man she was certain had been dead standing before her...

Your father smiles. Hello Jo It is so incredibly good to hear his voice again that it's all you can do not to start crying. As you approach him though Lily grabs your wrist with an iron grip, her face hard. Stop Jo! Unless your father could rip doors off their hinges without any effort, I'd say he's an imposter

Your father gives a laugh at this. Oh Jo, tell your friend to stay out of our business would you? And have her put your mother down too. We have much to discuss.

Turning back and forth between the two, Josephine knew one thing she could hold onto, and that was that she could trust Lily.

Turning towards Lily, her gaze was pained, but she glanced towards the window knowingly. They needed to escape, and fast. Soon as Lily moved, Jo followed quickly, not even answering the imposter, even though her heart strings Tore at her...

It would be a tall order to escape fast enough even without your unconscious mother to drag along but with her...Things aren't looking well.

Lily's long legs carry her quickly to the window and you try to help hoist your mother upward but your father is not exactly slow either and he follows you, looking irritated. Is that how you greet me after all these years?

Lily, arms still full, snarls at you, Shoot him!

Just as you start to wrestle with the unthinkable, a thunderous crash comes from a few rooms over. Even your father turns to wonder at it, the whole building shakes with the effects. Lily suddenly looks relieved. Finally! She then whips her head back to you. Now hurry up and shoot the man!

ooc: If you shoot go ahead and roll but I'll also need a will save too please