Presenter: Milly LeCrique

[Laraqua]

The post card contains a picturesque photograph of the mountain that appears to have been taken from another mountain. The clouds above that particular one do not appear particularly thick.

There is a web-site for Mark Kailer, in German, that gives a brief bio of works he has done (including the Kamchatka Diary and several religious works), and details on the languages he is good at (Russian, German, English, Hebrew, Latin). It also has his contact details.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly emails Kailer (if his addy is provided, otherwise she writes him a brief note - is he located in Berlin?). She tells him of her interest in his book and the mountain and the Liltian Tablets as they connect with it. She mentions that it is a under consideration as possible destination for a documentary programme.

Then she showers and gets ready for the dinner.

Just before she leaves (assuming that she emailed), she checks to see if Kailer responded.

[Laraqua]

Email Response from Kailer:

Oh really? Wow. That's cool. Will you be needing me for an interview? I'm happy for that.

Kailer.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly saves him to her contacts list. Then she calls downstairs for a car to take her to the meeting.

[Laraqua]

The car arrives quickly, but checking the time, she sees its not yet time for that meeting. Perhaps if she went to collect Timothy Wells first, checked in to see what he was doing, and then had the driver take them to the gathering together? That would certainly kill some time.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly makes a quick call to Timothy's mobile to see if he's back at his room at the Malzcafe.

[Laraqua]

She makes the call to Timothy's mobile phone and as she does so she hears the music that reminds her of Gemma's phone coming from a disheveled man in a heavy coat who is walking past. There is a click as though a phone were being answered on the other end, followed by a near silence containing barely audible sounds that you can't quite make out. You check your phone after a couple seconds to make sure you sent it to the right number. The phone says he's Engaged. You put it to your ear again. The Engaged sounds aren't occurring. Just a near silence. You have full bars and plenty of battery...

[Milly LeCrique]

Standing on the sidewalk in front of the Adlon, Milly breaks the connection and hurries into the waiting car, keeping a wary eye on the dishevelled man. She gives the driver the Malzcafe address and tries to calm her jangled nerves.

When they are nearer the Malzcafe, she tries Timothy's number again, not without some trepidation.

[Laraqua]

It goes straight to MessageBank.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly leaves a message: "Timothy, let me know when you get back to your hotel, I'll be waiting in the lobby bar."

Arriving at Malzcafe, she lets the driver go, figuring they can get a taxi easily enough here. She takes a spot at the bar off the lobby where she can watch for Timothy and orders a vodka stinger.

[Laraqua]

The phone rings. Checking her phone, she sees it's from her friend. Gemma.

[Milly LeCrique]

Feeling a bit queasy, Milly opens her phone, but doesn't say anything.

[Laraqua]

The sounds that come from the phone sound like hell itself.

The sound leaves her shaken. She could almost swear she heard Gemma's voice amongst the screams, pleading for help, begging, screaming, calling for her, and promising to see her again, promising that if Milly doesn't free her, Gemma would come back and take her to hell itself.

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly slaps her phone shut and drops it on the bar. Downing the rest of her drink in a gulp, she signals to the barman for another. As she downs it, tears roll down her cheeks, but she stops herself from sobbing openly.

Where in he-- Where is Tim?

[Laraqua]

The barman seems confused by her sudden change in demeanor and hurriedly puts a cup down. Vodka and coke. A good preparation for the Russian trip. The sounds of hell still echo in her mind. She finds it hard to shut it out. The German music that plays softly in the background cannot hope to drown out the terrible sounds. She doesn't think a Rammstein concert could drown that out. When she finished the next drink, another comes sliding down the bar towards her. Looks like a gin and tonic, a slice of lemon sitting perched on top. Looking across, she sees a grim-looking young man in a hoody staring down at the paper towel folded up on the counter in front of him.

OOC: That was meant to be 0/1d4 not 0/1d6. Since you got a maximum hit,we'll presume it was 4, not 6, okay?

[Milly LeCrique]

<ooc - 4 is good>

Milly pushes the empity Vodka stinger glass toward the barman and asks for another. She sets the unwanted gin-and-tonic to the side and looks for some pretzels or peanuts.

She doesn't look at the young man in the hoody.

[Laraqua]

The man in the hoody starts idly writing something on the folded up napkin. He seems to be making a point of avoiding looking her way as well.

Another man enters and comes right up to her, sitting down next to her. "Hiya sweetheart," he says with a wink, before turning to the barman. "I'll have a martini, and she'll have another of whatever she's having."

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly tenses, then lets her kendo discipline take over. She takes her glass in both hands and shifts slightly away from the man beside her, keeping the man in the hoody in her peripheral vision.

"No thanks," she says, loudly enough for the barman to hear her, "I'm meeting someone shortly."

<ooc - which side is the man on and how far away is the hoody? also, I'm assuming this is a respectable sort of place, not a dive>

[Laraqua]

It is a respectable sort of place. The guy with the hoody seems to be quiet and unassuming and can kind of blend in despite his odd attire. He is about four feet away - the glass slide was quite a feat. The other man does not fit in at all. He looks like he belongs in a dive. He leans in beside her and she can smell his breath. "Really? Who?"

The bartender ignores his order of a drink for you and makes a drink simply for the man.

"Hey, I said one for her, too."

[Milly LeCrique]

Milly continues to ignore the fellow.