IC: Return to Soho - Maksim & Nethaniel

[Raiko]

"They killed Ali, my boyfriend. If they knew that I was seeing him then I would be dead as well! I want to stop them, but I've been too scared."

"The people who took your friend, Tewfik al-Sayed's men, they are part of an evil society calling themselves The Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah. I think that Tewfik is the leader, but he is often in the club with an Englishman called Edward. Many of the clubs customers are part of this society, as you saw earlier tonight."

"Sometimes after the club closes, two old trucks collect the men from near the club, but not too close in case the police are watching. They head somewhere outside the city, to the East. I have heard some of the men mention a place called Misr House; Misr is the Arabic word for Egypt."

"I am sorry, I do not know where this place is though, only that it is outside London."

[Laraqua]

"Do you know what weapons they use? Or what other friends they have? Please, anything you know could help."

[Raiko]

This time Yalesha takes her time before replying, looking around twice for observers, her eyes wide with fear, "The barman Menkheper is one of them, he likes to think he has a position of power and that Tewfik is his friend, but he is a fool; they do not trust him. That is why he was left here tonight."

"When the police visited earlier his bravado only lasted two minutes when the detectives asked him questions."

"The doormen are also members of the brotherhood, but they fear nothing. They would die for Tewfik and I think they have killed for him. They were close to Tewfik's brother and they blame you for his death."

"All the other brotherhood men that I know have gone now, probably to wherever they have taken your friend. I do not know how many weapons they have, but Menkheper likes to threaten the girls with his knife, and both of the bouncers have guns."

[Laraqua]

"So they are gone now and won't be back? Do you know where any of them sleep that I could search? Obviously while you are with other people. Or would we need to somehow grab one of them to get answers?"

[Raiko]

Nethaniel eyes the establishment while making nervous small talk with the two girls. He looks for an office that Tewfik al-Sayed may be using or for any suspicious writings or cultish decor that the over confident cultist may be displaying about the club.

Inside the Blue Pyramid Club
7:45pm - Thursday 29th January, 1925

Nethaniel notices the door to an office in one corner of the club, as well as other doors leading to a changing room for the girls and doors for the customer toilets. There is nothing overtly occult about the club, although the general decor is Ancient Egyptian themed, so the walls are all decorated with hieroglyphics under a thick layer of tobacco stains, and the pillars supporting the ceiling are also decorated in an Egyptian style.

When Maksim leaves, the two girls snuggle close on either side of Nethaniel. Agatha says, "It must be quite an adventure looking after your Russian friend? You must have lady friends in all the clubs."

Both bouncers are back outside now, so the barman is now the only visible staff member other than the five remaining dancers.

[Raiko]

Outside the Blue Pyramid Club
7:45pm - Thursday 29th January, 1925

"I expected them to be back already, but if they have taken your friend away in their trucks, then I doubt that they will return tonight."

"Menkheper is the best way that you will learn where they go. He would have told the policemen everything if they had not been called away so suddenly. I am sure that you can force him to tell you where they have taken your friend."

"I know where all the club workers live and I know that Tewfik has a shop nearby. The Englishman Edward has a flat in Mayfair, as well as this place outside the city, but I don't know exactly where his flat is."

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel laughs nervously at the girls and nods.

Oh yes! Quite an adventure indeed!

He excuses himself and takes a short walk towards the office. He waits for a moment when the barkeep is busy and then checks the door.

[Laraqua]

"Who is Menkheper, again? And how might we get him alone?"

[Raiko]

Nethaniel laughs nervously at the girls and nods.

Oh yes! Quite an adventure indeed!

He excuses himself and takes a short walk towards the office. He waits for a moment when the barkeep is busy and then checks the door.

Nethaniel tests the door, it is not locked.

"Who is Menkheper, again? And how might we get him alone?"

"Menkheper is the barman, he's working alone since the others left, you just need to get him out of the main room somehow."

[Laraqua]

"How many thugs are around that bar, at the moment?"

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel waits for the barkeep to be distracted enough for him to sneak into the office.

[Raiko]

"How many thugs are around that bar, at the moment?"

Outside the Blue Pyramid Club
7:46pm - Thursday 29th January, 1925

"None, other than Menkeper and the doormen. They all left to chase you and your brother. We should hurry, they will wonder where I have gone soon."

[Raiko]

Nethaniel waits for the barkeep to be distracted enough for him to sneak into the office.

Inside the Blue Pyramid Club
7:46pm - Thursday 29th January, 1925

Nethaniel takes his chance as the barman turns to deal with two customers, easing the door open and slipping inside.

The office is untidy, the threadbare carpet has been stained so many times, that it's original pattern is no longer visible. The battered oak desk is littered with papers as well as few pieces of discarded food and a stained coffee cup which sits next to an overflowing ashtray. Card boxes stuffed with documents are piled haphazardly against one wall of the office, while a half empty bookcase stands against the opposite wall. Underneath an empty curtain-rail, a grimy window looks out onto the alleyway behind the club.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel takes a quick look out the window to check if the window can be used as a possible escape route if anyone were to interrupt him. He then gets to work at what he does best. Paperwork...

He starts with the desk and makes his way to the papers as quickly as his librarian mind can muster.

[Laraqua]

Maksim nods and gives her a gentle squeeze of the wrist. "Thank you." He turns to head back inside.

[Raiko]

Maksim nods and gives her a gentle squeeze of the wrist. "Thank you." He turns to head back inside.

She smiles at Maksim's attempt to reassure her.

"Come this way," Yalesha sneaks Maksim back into the club through the back entrance, avoiding the need to pass the bouncers again.

Once he's back inside the bar area Maksim sees that the girls are sitting alone, Nethaniel is not there. Agatha spots Maksim and waves. Over at the bar Menkeper is alone, both bouncers must be outside again, and all the dancers are busy.

[Raiko]

Nethaniel takes a quick look out the window to check if the window can be used as a possible escape route if anyone were to interrupt him. He then gets to work at what he does best. Paperwork...

He starts with the desk and makes his way to the papers as quickly as his librarian mind can muster.

Looking through the grotty window Nethaniel spots Maksim and Yalesha walking back into the club. The window itself is not barred, but using it as an escape route would be hindered, because the frame has been painted over with a thick layer of white paint - effectively sealing it shut. Nethaniel would need to break the glass to get out in a hurry.

He walks back to the desk and takes a look through the papers that litter the desktop. They all look innocent enough though, relating to the day-to-day running of the club. Checking the desk's single drawer, Nethaniel finds that it is unlocked and opens easily. Inside he finds a loaded Webley revolver, eight loose rounds of .455 ammunition, a huge butcher's cleaver and a Black inverted Ankh attached to a leather necklace, reminiscent of the more elaborate necklace that he found in Tewfik al-Sayed's secret drawer. There are also around a dozen copies of the Daily Scoop, Mickey Mahoney's newspaper. Most of them feature the Irish hack's theories about the Egyptian Murders on the front cover.

[Laraqua]

Maksim waves back at Agatha, confused as to where his friend has gone. "Hello beautiful, where'd my friend go?"

[Raiko]

"He sneaked into the office!" Agatha's voice is almost hysterical with excitement.

She continues before Maksim has chance to get a word in, speaking rapidly and breathlessly, "You're spies aren't you? Like Sidney Reilly or something? Me and Alice have been chatting and we just know we're right! Alice thinks you must be working to restore the Tsars to power, but I said it's more likely that this club's at the centre of a white slave smuggling ring."

[Laraqua]

Maksim leans in close to Agatha with a playful smile on his lips. He's not being threatening, just dangerously sultry, with that kinda "I could hurt you right now like you wouldn't believe but I won't because you're too amazing to harm and I'm too great a guy". "Careful about being right. My friend over there is working for Her Majesty's government. I defected to the American Secret Service once those damnable commies took up in my old home in beautiful Kiev. We needed some elegant dames like yourselves to give us cover to sneak in here. You gotta be real careful and quiet, though. Who knows who might hear you?"