Anna May shivered at the sound of the scream, and said, "Mr Hawke?"

"Hopefully he doesn't want to wait days to do something," she muttered more quietly.

McWatt looked around quickly when he heard the scream to see if he could identify where it came from. It seemed to be from the prop room, but who was in there?

"Open the door, Hawke," he suggested. "Let's see who's in there. They may need help, and I am a doctor."

He moved forward with his medical bag at the ready.

Had it been a scream of pain or horror? He played it over in his memory trying the decide if the was a tone he might recognize.

Phyllis looked up sharply when she heard the scream. Ignoring Mark's request to stay outside, she entered the prop room.

"Who's there? Are you all right?"

Mark draws his pistol and moves towards the sound of the screaming.

Everly hurried to the part of the prop room the screaming had come from. ''Is everyone alright? '' she questioned. ''I think that's Charlie.'' she added.

Turning to Mr Hawke, she gestured for him and Dr Mcwatt to open the door. She hoped Charlie was alright!

McWatt glanced up at Evelyn, but his attention was mostly on Hawke's pistol. Did the man really intend to shoot someone? Maybe it was movie prop?

Keeping well behind the man with the gun, he nevertheless moved forward to see if he could help.

OOC: Requesting a Psychology Roll (vs 65%) -- is it a scream of fear, pain or hysteria? Can he tell?

Curiosity led Anna May to follow, little caring about the fact that Mr Hawke had drawn a pistol--if anything, she found that slightly reassuring, and she moved into the prop room with the others.

Phyllis did enough of her own stunts that she wasn't easily scared.

"Charlie!" she called, hurrying in the direction of the scream.

What exactly she'd do if she was suddenly confronted with a maniac, she hadn't stopped to consider.

Peggy stayed out of the prop room, as running about was not something she could do for very long, if at all.  But she could help with whatever came next, that was for certain.  She waited outside and listened for whatever on earth could be happening in there...

Anna had been just behind Mark and stayed put right there. She was not quiet combat oriented but she could actually throw a punch. Still she lingered back, glancing around to make sure there was no one sneaking up from a different direction.

Mark moved slowly and carefully thru the maze of props, alert to corners and dark places.  He is fairly calm about this, having done it before when he knew there were killers hiding somewhere.

As Mark creeps forward through the crowded room he becomes aware of movement in a far corner. Rows of hanging props and rather creepy masks prevent him from seeing clearly, but he can now hear a low moaning sound. There is a rhythm to it.

And then suddenly a cry!

Hawke quickly withdraws in hasty embarrassment. He has stumbled upon a tryst. A noisy one to be sure, but there is no suggestion that either of the two shadowy figures is an unwilling participant.

"Who's there?" demands a man's voice, someone he doesn't recognize.

OOC: Number of things. I'm still waiting for GM privileges in this game to be able to start new threads, etc. But I see no reason not to just play this out in a way that the game owner can pick up this thread whenever she wants. Once we have moved past this encounter I will start on another plot line with those that wish to continue.

Mark, please provide a Sneak roll at -5% (for the encumbrance of the many obstacles in the room). If you succeed you will exit the props room without the lovers seeing you. If you fail, they will spot you. Of course you can go all in and step forward to confront them as well if you want. If you decide to freeze/hide, you can roll that instead at +15% -- but he may come looking for you.

Others: The detective did not recognize the voice that called out, but you may. A successful Listen roll (%) plus a successful KNOW/3 roll (roll less than your KNOW ability divided by 3 on 1d100) will reveal who the man is.

Let's get some dice rolling. Please use the dice roller at the site and don't make them secret rolls, I can't see them yet.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:33, Mon 20 Jan 2020.

She'd followed Mark into the maze of props, and heard the voices, but was too far away to make them out.

[OOC: 21:07, Today: Phyllis Green rolled 73 using 1d100.  Listen.
Not even close :)]

08:04, Today: Anna May Gibson rolled 67 using 1d100.  know (v70).
08:04, Today: Anna May Gibson rolled 69 using 1d100.  listen (v65).

---

Anna May strained to hear what the commotion might be.

Mark began to ease way out, but his foot caught on one of the props and pulled down a whole stack of musical instrument props, including cymbals. The cacophony of sound would have wakened the dead. Mark stumbles and falls on a bass drum, busting thru the skin and ending up with his feet and upper body protruding from the rim of the drum.  He gives a loud exasperated sigh and calls out.


Detective Hawk Sir. It appears you have startled me a bit and I have inadvertently wrecked a section of props. I find myself in a rather awkward position and may require assistance to extract myself from this predicament.


Mark could only hope none of the ladies could see him in his current situation.



16:37, Today: Mark Hawke rolled 19 using 1d20.  DEX roll DEX-11.

16:27, Today: Mark Hawke rolled 99 using 1d100.  Sneak 40%.

Peggy was waiting outside the room (for certain she was not going to charging about; she'd end up fainting and she was not young enough to pull that off gracefully anymore), but kept her ears tuned for the drama within.

--

OOC: 02:58, Today: Margaret Waithe rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  Listen.
02:58, Today: Margaret Waithe rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Know.

"Hey, hey!" calls the man's voice from within the props room, followed by a deep, infectious laugh.

"I guess you've caught me in the act there, detective."

The speaker steps forward, pulling up his pants and grins down at the unfortunate Hawke. After a minute, he good-naturedley reaches down to help the detective stand up.

"You working for St. Jayne? She send you to catch me out?"

The man is familiar to all of the hidden observers now that they can see him. Stan Brophy is an agent, well known in the movie business. His most important client is Jeanne St. Jayne, on the edge of being an A List movie star and rumored to be Brophy's lover. Behind him, hidden by Brophy's wide shoulders, a young woman scampers out of a rear entrance, careful to keep her face hidden, though all the witnesses get a quick glimpse of bare legs and back. It is definitely not St. Jayne.

Brophy stands square, ready to take whatever Hawke is there to dish out. He's a man's man, highly charismatic.

Mark accepts the man's help and stands out of the drum, straightening his rumpled clothes.

No sir, no one has hired me other than the studio. We heard the , um, well, screams and came to investigate.

Anna May was not particularly keen to go charging in, either, content for the moment to listen and perhaps learn.

"Well, yeah, I suppose it did a bit noisy back there. My apologies -- though not really!" He laughs again, big and booming, moving forward now, pushing the fallen props aside as Hawke gets to his feet and then leading the man away from the retreating girl, towards the small group of onlookers who had come to investigate the noises.

As the two men emerge from the props room and Brophy realizes what an audience he has gathered, he does the only thing a true Hollywood producer could do, he produces a fist full of business cards from an inside pocket and hands them out.

"Hey, pleased to meet ya!" he shakes hands all round. "Brophy's my name. Stan Brophy. I'm a booking agent and a talent scout. This card will get you an interview at my office any time you think you've got an act to sell, or a part to play. My take is ten percent, off the top, but I can put you in front of the very best. Guaranteed."

He keeps moving as he hands out cards and unless anyone actually engages him in conversation, he will pass through the small crowd and then head for the nearest exit.

For the entertainers in the group, the business card is an opportunity. Brophy is a top talent agent and a chance to meet with him and perhaps get him to represent you will greatly increase your chances of success. For the others, the card still has some value. A connection with real power if you need it, or bragging rights at the very least.

OOC: Does anyone want to talk to Brophy right now?

Mr. Brophy's manner was... loud in the extreme.  And he was obviously attempting to curry favor and distract, but a lady of a certain age clinging to whatever remnants of fame she still possessed could not be too choosy.

"Well then, Mr. Brophy, perhaps I shall take you up on your offer.  Peggy Waithe, stage and screen, though I no longer do stunts, I'm afraid," she says, taking a card and putting it in her purse.  She offers one of her own in return.

In reply to Dr Duncan Mcwatt (msg # 150):

''Oh, no. We heard a scream and thought a friend of ours was in there.''

Anna May took the offered card, even as she remembered some of the things the man in make-up had said.  She did not actually speak, though, just smiling as she took the card to give life to her blue eyes.

Despite being embarrassed at still being in costume, Phyllis took the offered card. As a hopefully rising star, she couldn't be choosy. And Brophy had connections.

Mark shakes his head at the Hollywoding going on.

Perhaps, Mr. Brophy, the next time you assist some young starlet advance her career you might do it somewhere a little more private?