IC: Return to Soho - Maksim & Nethaniel

[Raiko]

Continuing from this post in the Ritz IC Thread.

Outside the Hotel - The Ritz Hotel

A hotel porter drives the Bentley back around to the front of the hotel, he steps out and holds open the driver's door for Maksim, "Your car sir."

OOC,Your characters might as well briefly discuss their plans while they're in the car. I don't want them to reach Soho before Johnny / Elizabeth have finished talking to the cops. (Should hopefully be done by Monday). Note, if you want to take a look a Nethaniel's shop and maybe get some of his books, it's on the way to Soho. Although as Nethaniel mentioned in an earlier post it might be safer later at night.

[Raiko]

Entering Soho - In the Bentley.

The route back to the Blue Pyramid Club takes Maksim and Nethaniel close to the spice shop of Tewfik al-Sayed, although obviously Maksim avoids driving directly past the scene of their recent escape, and Gwen's abduction.

Nonetheless the Bentley has enough horsepower to get the duo out of trouble if they draw unwanted attention from the locals, so they are safe to drive close enough to notice that Tewfik's shop is now ablaze. A crowd has gathered and the London Fire Brigade are trying to douse the flames.

[Laraqua]

"What do you think that's about?" asks Maksim, frowning.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel sighs..

Blood rot and ashes... Dont mean to sound glum mate but a fire be the best way to cover up a bloody murder now isnt it?


He removes his glasses again and begins to clean them.

Dotty bird. You know her long mate? Gwen?

[Laraqua]

"Long enough," says Maksim glumly, trying desperately not to think back to the hotel room. "Long enough." He sighs. "So did you find anything interesting?"

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel is more that happy to move away from the subject of the fire and the possible murder of the Russian's friend.

Oh Loads man! That sod fropm the Shop that nicked Gwen was serious about the occult.. I got all I could of his gear in this bloody bag. In all honesty mate. I think this little field trip of yours and mine is rubbish. We got to figure out what these bloody blood cultists are up to now don't we. What they're playing at see... For that... we got to do a bit of reading the don't we? But you blokes and your guns can't sit still for 15 bloody minutes.

[Raiko]

ooc,Oops sorry DSIG, I forget how long ago everything happened! [b][u]Gwen:[/u][/b] Gwen was Nethaniel's friend (and Jackson Elias' friend). Maksim only met her a day or two ago when you saved her at the British Museum. The cultists who originally tried kidnapping Gwen at the museum (and murdered her assistant Alison) were probably either going after everyone Jackson Elias may have contacted, or trying to gain access to the museum's "black library" of occult & mythos lore. Or at least those were the theories that you guys had earlier in the campaign. Andrei contacted Nethaniel because he thought Jackson Elias might have visited him (and therefore that he'd be a target for the bad guys). Nethaniel knew that Gwen was a common friend of himself and Jackson, so he rushed to the museum with Andrei (and Maksim) just in time to save Gwen. BTW: Just in case: Jackson Elias was an American Investigative Journalist / Author who's murder in New York at the hands of the "Cult of the Bloody Tongue" began the adventure; he was a good friend of Elizabeth's. Nethaniel had known Jackson for years and helped with one or two of his books (undercover investigations of death-cults), but didn't meet him during his last visit to London. He last met Jackson about three years ago.

[DSIGFUSS]

OOC - Thanks Raiko.. I really appreciate background reminders like that. After rereading it over, perhaps with a different tone.. Nethaniel's dialogue still stands. He's a bookwormy scholar and might have outward emotional detachment towards Gwen and her death. Escpecially when he is trying to focus his attention on the Mythos portion of the investigation.

[Laraqua]

Maksim's lips tightened and he casts a glare over the man. "You realize that some societies keep to a verbal tradition, don't you? Keeping all of the real important details of their worship in the heads of the powerful people? Doubtless not only because most of them haven't invented a language, or in the case of urban tribes because they're often illiterate, but because that way no one can take their most important weapon from them. Knowledge. Or point out flaws in their plans and beliefs." Maksim sighs and shakes his head. "We're not aiming to shoot this woman but talk to her. Something that would only take 15 minutes. Reading a bag load of books that might not even be relevant would take days, at least. This woman said she already knew something about what they were up to. She might even be an expert in these people. I think that's more important than reading what might just be someone's amateur collection that has nothing to do with the case at hand. Especially since a conversation can get you all you need to know in 10 minutes while a book can take hours. Especially with some authors." He pauses, deciding to end with a little dig of his own. "Of course, I doubt you'll be any help talking to a woman so can you drive? You can keep the engine running for me, if need be. Just don't stick your nose in a book until I'm back behind the wheel, will you?"

[DSIGFUSS]

I... err... I never purp...

Nethaniel stares blankly at Maksim in terrified bewliderment and then looks forward anxiously for the rest of the drive. He had no intention of waiting in the car but he had even less intention of further upseting an angry Russian psychopath. he cleans his glasses much more frequently than they require.

[Raiko]

OOC,Laraqua, is Maksim continuing onto the Blue Pyramid Club now then? I'll move you there in the next post if so.

[Laraqua]

Maksim grins at him in the rearview mirror, loving the fact that he can still talk Academics around to the conclusions he prefers, and keeps on heading toward the Blue Pyramid Club. Somehow, oddly enough, the whole thing just made him like Nethaniel all the more.

[Raiko]

Maksim parks the Bentley a safe distance from the Blue Pyramid Club. It looks quiet from the outside. The same bouncers as before are stood on the front doors though.

OOC,If you don't want to risk reentering the club, the dancer said she'd meet you behind the club after it closes. Though the clock may be ticking for Gwen, assuming its not too late.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel eyes the bouncers nervously.

You think they know to look for us here mate?

[Laraqua]

"We'll meet the dancer behind the club when it closes," says Maksim. "No use risking our lives to chat to her." In the back of his mind he briefly entertains the possibility that Gwen is alive and that the dancer could tell him where, but then banishes it from his mind. They were hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. As much as the ladies with them were clever, they probably couldn't even cook a hot meal let alone brandish a weapon. He knew Nethaniel couldn't fight but both Timour and Andrei were hopelessly aggressive and would doubtless attempt to storm the place as though they had a full military squad in tow. The image of the dead maid brushes into his mind and he sighs. Besides, Gwen's dead. Even if she wasn't, she doubtless wished she was and might as well have been. Joining her wasn't going to help anybody.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel looks nervously at his pocket watch thinking the same thing as Maksim about poor Gwen.

Well they certainly aren't looking for me mate and if we got a bloody chance at a shot to save Gwen we should go for it then now shouldn't we?

Nethaniel lays out his plan hoping it is to the Russian's liking. He intends on carrying it through but is right terrified to do it alone.

1) Go and buy some propper suits to disguise themselves as rich party goers.
2) Rent some high class call girls to show us a good time.
3) Walk into the club. Separately if need be (ie If Maks thinks he will be recognized.) and spend alot of cash tipping the bouncers in hopes the flash will set them at ease.

[Laraqua]

Maksim checks his own watch and ponders the idea. That would take some time, and he's unsure whether they're likely to have it all ready BEFORE closing, anyway.

[Raiko]

OOC,The current time is 7:25pm. Sorry I'll start posting time tags again. The club closes at 10:30, however the chances of purchasing a suit at this hour is slim, as almost all the shops close between 5 & 6pm. You might be able to find a very upmarket tailor that is still open, but you'll need to do some fast talking to persuade them to provide you with suits so quickly. They'd normally provide a quality fitted suit a day or two later.

[DSIGFUSS]

Nethaniel checks his pocket watch.

Hmm right then.. He looks at Maks' attire and his own.

Could they possibly pose as on the towners and get into this club. maybe with some hot dames on their arms..

[Laraqua]

Maksim is wearing a reasonably priced, relatively flash suit but at his gorgeous Appearance, no one would take him for a soldier turned mercenery out for cultists. If he turned on his charm, he'd just seem like a tiger on the prowl for pretty women.