Presenter: Milly LeCrique

[Milly LeCrique]

"Oh, Gemma dear, how awful. Have you called the police? You really should let them handle this. Is the man with you still? I mean the man you brought home?"

[Laraqua]

"I will call the police but I mean..." She sounds really choked up.

[Milly LeCrique]

"Is anyone there with you, Gemma? What do you want me to do?" Milly tries to keep the tiredness and irritation out of her voice. She's good at that.

[Milly LeCrique]

"Gemma?" Milly is starting to grow concerned about the lack of response. "Gemma, darling, are you there? Are you alright?!"

[Laraqua]

"I-I don't know, they've just gone back inside, they're thinking someone's still in there ... the killer ... I can't call the police ... I'm on parole ... and there's, there's drugs ... there's always drugs ... Milly!"

[Milly LeCrique]

"Oh dear God," mutters Milly, "Gemma, I'm on my way. I'll be there quickly as I can. Go downstairs to the lobby and wait for me there. I can't stand a scandal just now, sweetling, so do as I say."

Listening for Gemma's reply, she dials down to the desk and requests a cab.

[Laraqua]

At this time of night, a cab is more difficult than usual to get. Milly does know the way to bus and tram her way to Gemma's.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly keeps her mobile phone open until she's sure Gemma has rung off. Awkwardly pulling on a pair of boots and grabbing a leather jacket from the wardrobe, she's thankful that she hadn't been in bed when Gemma called.

Milly goes to the front desk to inquire about her cab. Then she goes outside and asks the doorman to please help her, as she has to get to a sick friend right away. While waiting for a car, she considers just calling the police anonymously and letting Gemma take her chances. But the little fool had been precious to her at one time.

[Laraqua]

An empty taxi cab starts coming by that she signals furiously. The taxi cab stops and the driver smiles at her through the window with a look of joy in his face. Someone pretty, someone who wasn't drunk, someone who... "Milly? Milly LeCrique, Science Geek? Boy, am I amazed I ran into you. Like, really, wow." The taxi driver grins at her like a kid on prom night seeing his prom date for the first time in formalwear.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly returns his smile at full wattage and pulls open the back door.

"Thanks so much for stopping," she says breathily, "We're on an errand of mercy tonight. I have to retrieve a sick friend."

She gives him the address of Gemma's flat.

[Laraqua]

The taxi driver heads off at a decent clip. "Mission of mercy, eh? You really are somethin', you know that. And there my friend was claiming all celebrities were self-righteous and stuck up. I knew you were different. I says to him, I do, there's a girl who's intelligent and nice. She's just got a nice face. She wouldn't be up herself."

[Milly LeCrique]

"Well, now you can tell your friend that some celebrities are just like other people. Sometimes."

Milly let's a couple of blocks go by in silence.

"My friend is supposed to be in the lobby. But if I have to go up to get her, I'd like you to wait. I'll make it woth your while, of course, over and above the fare."

[Laraqua]

"Uh, miss, I got a wife and kids at home," he says, seeming genuinely hurt and a little confused as he drives off down the road. "Oh, you mean money... Sorry, I just had this girl in the car before ... drunk as ... the things she would say she would do to me if I drove her out to this town in the countryside ... terrible."

[Milly LeCrique]

"That's okay," says Milly. As they ride, she begins taking deep, rhythmic breaths to calm and center herself.

[Laraqua]

The taxi cab pulls up outside the foot of a very short flight of steps that lead up to a set of yellow doors, the yellow paint peeling off in little scraps. Other than that, it looks like the usual city apartment building. A gentle rain falls outside the building, causing the pavement to glisten below the nearby street lights. Milly has the key to the foyer door.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly hands the driver an amount just slightly over the fare.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," she says, "I'll pay double the fare for our return to the Adlon. Thanks so much for helping."

Key in hand, she hurries up the front steps and unlocks the door to the foyer.

[Laraqua]

The carpet is a faded diamond-pattern, scuffed to threads near the doors and directly before the elevator that sits on the opposing side. There's also a stair case that heads up, the steps far too narrow, the wooden banister splintered. She starts for the stairs. Once Milly gets halfway across the room she becomes aware of footsteps running down the stairs. The individual is still a couple flights up but at the rate s/he is running, it won't take them very long at all to reach the lobby.

[Milly LeCrique]

<ooc - I take it there is no elevator? What floor is Gemma's?>

Milly glances around the lobby, irritated that Gemma is not waiting here as instructed. Why should I have to climb the bloody stairs? Milly stops in the middle of the lobby, pulls her mobile out of her purse and punches "re-dial" to call Gemma.

Hearing someone coming down in a big hurry -- it doesn't sound like Gemma's foot steps -- Milly clears the path from stair to front door and keeps her syes on the bottom of the flight.

[Laraqua]

Background Music.

She spies a fellow come running down the stairs, his hips clicking and moving with a bizarre, almost-robotic gait. The thick shoulder-length dreads hanging on either side of his down-turned face swing in time with his steps, barely hiding the full lips that twist as though he were speaking to himself. Milly catches a glimpse of the man's nakedness beneath the open coat, the glaring scars, his body slick with sweat, his erect genetalia gleaming with the same clear, slickness. Even in the heat of the moment, however, she sees the knife ... a gleaming scalpel cleaned of blood.

On the third ring, Gemma answers. "Hello?"

At the sound of Gemma's voice, the man halts with supernatural swiftness. At one moment, he is complete motion, the next, he seems so still, his ragged breathing forcing his body to sway. He cocks his head to one side, as though listening.

OOC - There is an elevator.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly, shocked speechless, clicks the phone closed and drops it in her purse, snapping it shut. She clasps the heavy leather bag in both hands, backing toward the elevator.

Her body has automatically slipped into a combat posture, thanks to her years of martial arts training. Her breathing is regular and steady. Her eyes never leave the man, her feet barely lift and never cross one another as she glides back toward the wall. Her knees are slightly flexed and the bag is held in front of her to deflect any sudden attack.

When her heel grazes the elevator door, Milly angles her body so that her left side is toward the man, the bag held like a shield, her weight on her right leg. Her right hand searches for the elevator button pad. When it is located, she presses the up button.

<ooc - great choice of background music!>