IC: CH2 - LONDON - Back at the Ritz

[Timour Rukov]

Timour instinctively yanks Elizabeth out of the line of view and waves at Andrei to follow.

[OC Any cover....corners etc?]

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel stares at the painting behind Johhny, still quite disturbed that he's even in it.

This just bloody well happened. The wee bird worked with Gwen right luv? At the museum? I suspect she was a witness or some sort.. she asked the wrong bloke the wrong question I'd wager.

Nethaniel turns back to Caroline smiling.

Nice work then luv! Really got them digits clean then now didn't you? Would you be so kind as to hand me one of them scrubs then so I can have a proper go at it?

Nethaniel looks back to the painting.

More importantly... when was this painted and by who. Are we familiar with the artist then?

[Raiko]

In the Hallway, outside Elizabeth’s suite – The Ritz Hotel, Piccadilly, London
10:20pm – Wednesday 28th January, 1928

Timour looks for cover, but the hotel corridor offers nowhere to hide and the elevator is only ten feet away.

A hotel porter emerges from the open elevator doors carrying two bulky suitcases; behind him walk a well dressed middle aged couple. The lady is rather portly, she’s wearing a long fur coat and an elegant hat and she looks really excited by the glittering hotel. The man on the other hand looks very stern, although he nods politely at Andrei as he approaches. He is tall and slim, and dressed in a brown suit and an expensive looking woollen overcoat, his greying black hair is slicked back. Either he doesn’t notice Andrei’s obvious state of distress, or he chooses to ignore it.

The trio pass by the investigators, and the porter lets his charges into the suite across the corridor from Elizabeth’s. As he enters his room the tall man looks back to stare disdainfully at Elizabeth and the two Russians.

[imme]

Elizabeth stares right back at the man, her raised eyebrow daring him to say something.

"Come, gentlemen," she says to the Russians, "let us take this conversation elsewhere."

[Grafster]

Nethaniel stares at the painting behind Johhny, still quite disturbed that he's even in it.


Nethaniel looks back to the painting.

More importantly... when was this painted and by who. Are we familiar with the artist then?

That would be Miles Shipley? I believe that's his name. He's an artist. We were given to understand that our murdered friend had expressed an interest in his work when he visited a local newspaper before his untimely death.

They were visiting him just to take a break from all this seriousness. Johnny seems to be speaking half to himself and half to Nethaniel

This just bloody well happened. The wee bird worked with Gwen right luv? At the museum? I suspect she was a witness or some sort.. she asked the wrong bloke the wrong question I'd wager.

This is... your friend? Johnny inquires of Gwen, his manner is somewhat kind.

[Decrepit]

This is... your friend? Johnny inquires of Gwen, his manner is somewhat kind.

"Yes, I'd like to know, too," Caroline says as she hands Nathaniel a "scrub." She continues to take an unusually possessive interest in Nathaniel's, er, situation. Perhaps it's just the shock of the evening's events?

[coffee demon]

Andrei also returns the couples' stare.

"Okay", he replies quietly.

Andrei heads to his room on the lower floors. [OC: Assuming at least one of the others follow], Andrei enters his room and sits on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped.

[imme]

Elizabeth follows Andrei to his room. She enters, glances around the interior, and sits in a comfortable chair. [Assuming Timour also comes along,] She turns to Timour and waits for him to speak.

[Laraqua]

Maksim, who has stood leaning in the window frame, peering out into the street but seeing nothing, finally raises his head. "What does he mean, items I favor? A warehouse full of books?" He looks over, confused, looking around for Johnny. "Or cars? Or planes? What do I favor now?" He seems agitated, with a dark look that speaks volumes. Then he turns and marches into the bathroom.

"What are you two doing? Did you always used to do that? Wash your hands repeatedly and all? Then he takes a closer look at Caroline's hands, grasping it despite her best wishes. "Did you used to wash them this thoroughly when you were a doctor? Do surgeons? Seems a bit ... excessive if you ask me."

He knows he should be gentler, less curt, but deep down he wants to anger these people enough that he'll be allowed to leave - yet part of him wants to draw her attention to her own issues. Draw her attention to the insanity he sees bubbling within her gaze. He'd dealt with a lot of shell-shocked soldiers ... perhaps this was just a new variation?

[Timour Rukov]

Timour wrinkles his brow thoughtfully and pulls his brandy flask from his jacket, offering it to Andrei.

"So....Andrei.....these people you met....tell me....how did you meet them?"

Timour fishes around in his jacket pocket for his cigarette case while he waits for Andrei to answer him. He doesn't break his eye contact, however, which causes his jacket to flail comically as he blindly rustles away in it.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel takes the scrub from Caroline and begins gently cleaning the muck from his tweed jacket.

Getting dragged by your tongue down some dark alley tends to scuff a man's suit mate! Me and the Misses were just attending to some proper grooming. A doctor? Fascinating!

Nethaniel finishes wiping his jacket and removes his glasses. He takes out a white hankerchief and wipes them clean. He turns back to the painting and inspects it again.

Does the artist Miles Shipley live in London?

[Grafster]

Johnny continues to look at Gwen waiting for a response.

Does the artist Miles Shipley live in London?

Yes, that was certainly my understanding... That they were visiting his house earlier this evening.

[Decrepit]

Caroline looks at her hands agian, sees perhaps for the first time how red and raw they are. "Uh, well, no, now that you mention it," she says to Maks. "I, um, don't usually wash this ... thoroughly. It did seem like a good idea at the time." To Nathaniel, she says, "I'm sorry. What were we talking about?"

[Raiko]

This is... your friend? Johnny inquires of Gwen, his manner is somewhat kind.

"Yes, I'd like to know, too," Caroline says...

Gwen continues to stare at the painting, “Who is this man, this Miles Shipley? How could he paint this?”

Looking at the creature depicted in the corner she whispers to herself, “He painted the creature, how could he know all of this?”

Johnny continues to look at Gwen waiting for a response.

For the first time Gwen seems to notice Johnny looking at her, “Oh sorry yes she was – my friend I mean – Alison, Alison Taylor, she was my assistant. She hadn’t worked at the museum for all that long; she’d only finished university last summer.”

Gwen looks sadly at Miles’ depiction of Alison’s butchered body, “They just beat her with their clubs – no warning – she never had a chance. She didn’t fight, but they didn’t care. And once she’d collapsed they stabbed her in the chest and just left her to die.”

“One of them laughed.”

“Why? What do they want with me? And why kill poor Alison? Why?”

Gwen faces Johnny, “Who are you people!? What are you involved in? And why have me and Nathaniel been dragged into it?”

[coffee demon]

"So....Andrei.....these people you met....tell me....how did you meet them?"

"What are you talking about? The sorceror? You don't believe me anyways! Laugh all you want, I know whats going on here... or at least, I'm starting to get an idea..."

He looks at Elizabeth and Timour accusingly for a moment, then sighs and rubs his face.

"I just want to go to sleep. I'm not running away! Look at me! I'm right. Here. Let me be, please."

[imme]

Elizabeth crosses her legs and looks at Timour. She's obviously not ready to leave yet.

[Timour Rukov]

Timour reclines with an amused grin, "A moment ago you wanted us all to run off with you to chase down some cult lead you find.....now you just want to go to bed?" He looks at Elizabeth, still grinning, and lights his cigarette. "Come on, Andrei. You forget who my brother is....I know sulking when I see it! Now, tell me what you were trying to in the room. I will listen now, alright my friend? Tell me how you met him."

[coffee demon]

"Who are you talking about? The sorceror? He was in the alley, he was watching us when that... when the Chimera attacked us. That's what I'm talking about! Do you understand what this means? The Chimera was controlled by the man! This egg!" He pats his pocket again. "It came from this egg!" He's getting excited again, but in trying to make Timour and Elizabeth understand, he slows down and exhales.

"If someone, a normal PERSON, could control the Chimera, then that means we're saved! It's within OUR power to understand these things as well! To control them, defeat them, or whatever we need to do! Do you see what I mean? This is what I was saying, this is what Elias Jackson didn't understand, and this is why he died. I'm sorry, Elizabeth. But it's true. He didn't take that EXTRA STEP! And WE will!"

Andrei's eyes are wide, watching Timour and Elizabeth expectantly. His blabbering brings back his confidence, and flushes his cheeks with colour.

[imme]

Elizabeth slowly exhales. "So we don't just have to be on the run from these people. We can protect ourselves. That's what you want to understand."

[Timour Rukov]

Timour strokes his moustache thoughtfully, and looks somewhat confused.

"Well, what I meant was the club in Soho....you said you met a fellow with a card from there.....you said you wanted us all to go there tonight." Timour's eyes dance somewhat at the prospect of adventure, but he looks nervously at Elizabeth. "Why do you want us to go there, Andrei? Did you mean we should hide there....or is there something you're looking for?"