CH3-02 Heading North

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade

"There you go... you had to spoil things... I had almost forgotten about our quest." Andy jokes.

"I guess we could try and see if anyone remembers seeing Maria come through here in the last day or so, I guess Alex will help us with that." he scoffs some more pizza... "ohh... did anyone think to bring a picture of her?"

[ghill]

OOC:   There are photos of Maria on her laptop as well as the printed photos of her break(?) with Gossham, which brought you up here. Can I have Persuade rolls please from anyone canvassing the locals. This reflects the fact that most people are busy going about their business and would rather not waste time talking to foreigners, rather than trying to avoid answering your questions. if you fail your persuade roll, you can make Credit check roll reflecting the fact most people business owners will answer your questions while you buy stuff off them.

[Mr. Handy]

"Mmm..." says Liz, savoring the delicious pizza. "Yes, we do have some pictures of her from her flat, and also on her laptop. I would guess she'd gone to the dig site, but we may as well ask around if anyone's seen her. I'll help with that. I'm not the best people person, but at least I'm cute! At some point we also need to go to the market and buy...stuff."

When she finishes eating, she starts showing one of the photos of Maria around and asking if anyone has seen her, but either no one has time for her, or they don't understand her. She also doesn't have enough money to spend much time in the shops before the shopkeepers realize she's broke.

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade

Seeing as it was his idea, Andy grabs a photo and heads off in the opposite direction from Liz and tries to find any information from the locals....

Persuade: 55,[dice]0[/dice]

Credit Rating: 15,[dice]1[/dice]

[ghill]

Andy talks to a waiter bussing tables outside a cafe who says he noticed her Blue Volkswagen parked outside a nearby garage he remembers because it is rare to see a Tirana registered number plate in Bajram Curri. In turn the Garage mechanic agrees he was approached by a attractive woman (he identifies her as Maria from the photo) she paid cash to get her car fixed, she’d driven it on a flat tire and the whole wheel needed replacing she was in a hurry to get going.

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   How long ago was this?

[ghill]

OOC:   He thinks maybe a week ago. This would seem to align with the other details/timings you have.

[carnage_lee]

Andy will, of course, share the info.

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, that confirms we're on the right track," says Liz. "She must have gone to the dig site, and she sure seemed desperate to get there. I wonder what she's been doing there all this time? We'd best get after her in the morning as soon as we finish our preparations. It sounds like she hasn't been taking care of herself. Unless you can think of something else we can do tonight, we should go to the hotel and rest up so we can get an early start. I'm starting to feel my old self now that I've gotten around some pizza. A night's sleep will do me some good too."

[ghill]

Greg returns and says he 'talked' with a local shop keeper who remembered her (Maria) buying armfuls of chocolate and soda. The woman said she looked as though she had been going without sleep. Which would all seem to agree with Liz about her not looking after herself. – She also remembered the woman spoke to one of the town’s policemen outside the shop.

Shortly afterwards Alex walks over and says he has arranged rooms 4 rooms ( as single for Liz, two doubles and a triple for everyone else) He suggests that everyone chills for an hour or so and then they meet in the bar to discuss how they approach the next few days.

OOC:   Guys, I'm happy for anyone to do required dice rolls for asking after Maria, but I'm also keen to move the story on. Unless anyone strongly disagrees, for the rest of this section I'm going to give 24 hours for responses then move on.

[Mr. Handy]

"Maybe we should try to find the policeman who spoke to Maria," suggests Liz. "There can't be that many of them in a small town like this. We could show them the pics of her and her car and see if any of them recognize her."

[royya]

I think we better leave the local authorities out of the story and as my Rabbi is saying - It is better not to wake a sleeping dog.
Jacob replies

[carnage_lee]

Andy Wade

Andy nods in agreement at what Jacob has to say.. "There's a lot to say for that.... we're trying to 'fly under the radar' calling I'd be wary of drawing any attention."

[Mr. Handy]

"Okay, that's a good point," says Liz. "Ich bin immer noch nicht zu denken, wie die verwendeten." Wie ein Verbrecher, she thinks, but she doesn't say it. "There's prolly nothing they can tell us we don't already know anyway."

[ghill]

Evening see the group including Alex and Lek (sitting slightly apart eating their evening meal and drinking some local spirit) as you try and relax an young lad strides into the room.

With his head shaved, his leather jacket, white shirt, worn work trousers and heavy work boots the lad looks like a typical local boy, but he does not behave like one. Walking straight up to your table without showing any of the reserve of a young boy, instead he starts to ask the investigators a string of questions in Albanian.

OOC:   Can I have Spot Hidden rolls please

[carnage_lee]

OOC:   Andy Wade - Spot Hidden:35,[dice]0[/dice]

[ghill]

Andy,[b]Andy[/b] notes the locals pull their chair out of the lads way as he makes his way across the room and at least one man changes his path to give the lad a wide berth. In addition the lad is accompanied by two older men they are watching the conversation

[BenTheRat]

As the young one walks up, Clay makes sure he is nearby in case things go violent he wants to be able to jump in at a second notice.

[Mr. Handy]

Liz remains extremely alert, refusing to be distracted.

[ghill]

Liz,[b]Liz[/b] notices the boy walked into the room accompanied by two men. The two men then separated and are now sat at the small hotel bar watching events closely. Both men are armed (pistols are de rigour here), not only with pistols but with what look like huge knives or small swords. In addition Liz notices everyone one else in the room is suddenly studiously looking at their food/drinks, the wall anything but the boy. Weirdly enough while Liz doesn't understand Albanian she gets the gist of what the boy is saying which is who are they? Where are they from? Why they are in town?