IC: CH2 - LONDON - Back at the Ritz

[Laraqua]

Maksim nods, largely managing to keep from looking disappointed, Caroline-baiting had always been the most fun but it seemed she had loosened up ever since the events on the ship. She was almost acting like she thought he was human... He gives a little shrug and nods towards the door, speaking in an almost fatherly tone. "Come on then, let's get out of the bathroom and set you up in your room. I'm sure I can remember some Russian bed-time stories to lull you to sleep with. And if you still can't sleep, there's always vodka." He pats his flask. "And if this isn't enough, there's always the bottle in the car."

He'll head to whichever room she's stationed in, motioning for her to follow him. As he heads towards the door connecting to the corridor, his hand creeps towards where he's always kept his gun but will then move instinctively for his flashlight.

[DSIGFUSS]

Indubitably! Gwen’s poor assistant was most definitely assassinated to keep her quiet. Gwen was the real target all along. It just goes to show what these Bloody Tongue wankers will do to complete their goals. We should exercise some bloody caution in the future now shouldn’t we?


Nethaniel rubs his eyes, tired from the night’s strenuous activities. He continues staring at the painting, looking for any clues the artist might have hidden in the background. (Symbols, hidden figures, etc...) He turns it around and inspects the back as well.

If the artist knew we were there, then perhaps he knew we would find this particular painting.

He absentmindedly listens to the others speaking as he tries to keep his eyes open while he works.

[Grafster]

Good that the police have been informed. I suspect we shall enjoy another round of appearing in the papers... Johnny does not look happy.

Johnny looks carefully at Gwen. They were after... you? He removes some tobacco and begins to carefully roll another cigarette.

When he finishes he lights it up inhaling slowly. I don't suppose you have any idea why?

[coffee demon]

"See? This is exactly what I mean! Here I am, right in front of you, verbalizing what we both know to be true, that things have gotten strained, and all you can do is just sit there! You don't even care enough to respond!

"Damn!" Elizabeth blushes with her strong language, but continues on. "Do you remember the coffee shop before this whole mess started? Before we went to the hotel to find Jackson? Even then we needed to talk, and although quite a few horrible things have happened between then and now, we just cannot leave this unresolved. I cannot.

"Andrei, either show me that you are still the man I met in Paris, or tell me that we are done so I can move on."

Andrei sits upright on the edge of the bed.

"Show you!" He grabs her hand (or at least tries to.) "Ellie, listen. I know. Yes, we need to talk. There's a lot to talk about." I'm blabbing, come on Andrei, slow down here, this is your last chance.

Andrei draws in a deep breath and composes himself.

"Listen, Ellie. Here's the truth. I really... I really care for you a lot. All this mess, all I've wanted to do is fix it all so we can be back to how we were. Some of these things are really... it's hard to get my head around sometimes. We just haven't talked about it. We haven't had the time to talk about any of this! I've just been dealing with this on my own, and I thought... I didn't know what you thought."

He stops for a second and runs his hand through his hair, thinking and frowning. Finally, staring at the ground, he mumbles, "I want you to be happy, that's all."

[imme]

Elizabeth lets her hand be grabbed and listens intently.

"Oh, Andrei." A tear slides down one cheek. "I'm not happy, not with your having withdrawn to deal with this on your own. Did you not realize that you've basically left me on my own? That all of this mess is frightening and horrible, and you have not been around to comfort me?"

She reaches her free hand up to Andrei's face. "We, all of us, need to deal with this together."

[coffee demon]

Andrei stands up and wraps his arms around Elizabeth. "I know, I know."

He rubs her back and strokes her hair to soothe her. "I won't leave you alone any more, I promise."

[jtull_84]

Gwen seems to be at a loss. It never occurred to her why the arab men had come for her. "Well, I think maybe it had to do with my easy access to the restricted collection, or maybe they thought I was working with Nethaniel, and came for me first."

[imme]

Elizabeth leans her head on Andrei's chest and quietly sighs, "Good."

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel looks up from the painting and approaches Gwen.

Mister Zuckov had already made the connection linking poor Jackson to myself and then to you Gwen. If this lot, be they ever so resourceful, could figure it out, then the bloody Bloody Tongue Cult shoudn't have too much trouble working it out now shold they? This Bloody Tongue cult appears to be very resourceful and determined to eliminate any and all leads that may link them to the work of Jackson Elias.

He removes his glasses and casually wipes them clean before placing them back on his face. He then opens his crossbow case and gently sets it on the bed. He opens it up and begins to take apart the crossbow, carefully cleaning and then organizing each part onto the towel Caroline had given him earlier. Nethaniel reasons with Gwen as he cleans his weapon.

We really need to take a proper gander at those private stacks Gwen. I beleive the Bloody Tongue Cult buggers belived that if you were to make any connection between Jackson and my death, if it were to come to that, you could have found the answers you sought in the museum library's private collection. These wankers are really covering all their bases now aren't they? I don't think we'll be safe luv.. till we expose these bastards for the devil worshiping ponces they are!

[jtull_84]

"Right Nethaniel. In the morning. I'd like to hear more about what happened in America that makes these people think that one group is behind all this. Johnny, how did this Cult operate in America? Did they use the same, how do you say, modus operandi? Clubs with spikes on one side, sophisticated attacks? Were they arab?"

[Timour Rukov]

Timour returns to the room, nodding to Johnny, and looking somewhat defeated. He sits down with the group, stretching his lanky legs out and crossing them at the ankle.

He appears to be trying to piece together what they've been talking about while he's gone, looking from person to person with a slightly confused look on his face.

Finally at a lul in the conversation, he thrusts his hand out to Nathaniel and nods at Gwen, "Name's Timour. Sorry to see you....in the..... predicament......you were in."

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel shakes Timour's hand with a firm Englisg grip.

Pleasure to make your aquaintance Timour. I'm feeling much better now thankyou!

Nethaniel wipes his hands clean before continuing.

We're just hashing out some of the more sinister details of the Bloody Tongue Cult's American operations. Would you care to join us!

Nethaniel then looks to Johnny waiting for his response and fidgeting with his glasses.

Yes! An excellent point Gwen! Did the cult follow the lot of you to England?

[Grafster]

Johnny's reluctance to speak speaks volumes about his interest in involving the newcomers. Seeing Timour return to the room and participate without objection he finally relents.

Well... I should begin by saying we, or at least I, am of the opinion that these "cults" are just a front for a sophisticated criminal operation. One that seems to be operating at least in Shang-hai, Hong Kong, New York, London and Kenya Africa.

They take advantage of the superstitions of recently arrived immigrants to form them into violent gangs based around whatever mythologies were prevalent or popular in their home regions. So the group in New York did some ritual mutilation of foreheads; and the group here apparently has a fixation with tongues.
Johnny digs through his notes to produce a copy of the mark cut into Jacksons' forehead.

Symbol Cut into Jackson's Forehead


The individual traits of these pseudo-religions are almost certainly tailored to the superstitions of the local immigrants they are recruiting.

There is some indication that they vary this a bit. Some Australian myth about a "sand-bat" apparently wound up getting mixed into some of the New York cult beliefs; perhaps an import to add a feeling of exoticism.

In any case, these so-called-cults are just recruiting operations. The whole thing is very cunning of course. The authorities see a bunch of violent maniacs and never look beyond them.

[jtull_84]

Gwen listens to Johnny, entranced by the nefarious implications of an international criminal syndicate using immigrants to operate in Western society and elsewhere. As Johnny produces the drawing of the carving, she gasps.
"My, how curious! It looks almost like a circle of standing stones, a ceremonial space like Stonehenge. But I wonder what this group is striving for?"

[Grafster]

Yes... well... it was probably picked to seem occult and interesting.

Mostly they seem to be striving toward killing people who get to close to their criminal operations. They killed a half dozen police officers in New York.

[Timour Rukov]

"That's IT!" Timour slaps the chair's arm rest decisively, and gets up, beginning to pace. "One of us....or two would be a better plan....obviously newly arrived to London, will pose as fresh off the boat and attempt to be recruited. If what you say is true," Timour makes eye contact with Johnny, and he can see a spark of excitement in his eyes, "they'll be all over the pair of us to bring us in. So who's going to volunteer? I'll gladly break down this operation from the inside out. Who's with me?" He grins excitedly at the group, full of robust energy.

[Grafster]

Johnny looks at Timour with a mixture of admiration and horror.

That.... would be a good idea.... if we had any members who were of the proper ethnic groups and had the right kinds of relationships in the communities in which they recruit.
I ran into the same thing in San Francisco when I was a detective. Here it looks like you'd need to be be an arab, or chinese to get in; possibily a specific sort of arab or chinese.

And you'd probably need an introduction from someone who's already a member.

If we are going to try to do something, then I think it would be more reasonable to see if we can get the police to raid their warehouse. All that hidden military equipment should be of concern to someone.

We could also look at the boat that they moved their gadgetry onto, or examine the inside of the Penhew in more detail; they seem to have a hidden room in the courner by the basement.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel listens to Johnny attentively, nodding at the great deal of thought he had put into his assessment of the criminal aspect of this multinational cult organization.

Intersting theory mate!

A multinational criminal syndicate using various cultural cult symbols to draw in new blood then? I fear you may be underestimating the power of the cult here Johnathan. True... the criminal orginazation may be using cult symbols to draw attention to themselves or away from themselves rather... as far as the local authorities are concerned. I'm afraid there is a deeper supernatural connection that we just can't ignore. The strange dreams... the mysterious stranger Mr. Zuckov witnessed contolling that tentacled astral creature on the street. In my experience with this sort of thing, whatever higher power is driving this cult is clearly in control. Cut off their link to the power and we cut off the orginazation's head. They will become like any other two bit bloody ponce maffia outfit. The police can handle them from there now can't they! We have to tackle this from a different angle mate! Steal their power from under them... Break their link to the beyond!

Nethaniel stares intently at Johnny. He removes his glasses and quickly wipes them clean before placing them gently back on his nose.

[Grafster]

Yes... I'm sure that will be important too.
Johnny's face is a mask of strained politeness.

[DSIGFUSS]

Very good then..

Nethaniel nods to Johnny and then looks back to the painting studying it carefully for anything that he might have missed.

His self absorbed English snobiness allows Nethaniel to take Johnny's comment to heart. He feels like he's really making a difference.