Norbury At Night

[Laraqua]

"Only if you want to take point with me," says Hewitt. "I think we can turn the lamps back on, though. I doubt there's going to be any loose gas down here. Whatever this place is, it's well-used. I think we're looking at a kidnapping. What the priest said made me consider it likely but having found this place? Yeah, some kind of mass kidnapping. Oh, careful about those thick 'bones'. I'd suggest that anyone who's not too sure about ducking through a three foot gap that's two feet up without daring to brush either rope should lay down and slide themselves across the floor and underneath it." He steps through the gap.

Julia pauses before stepping in behind Sarah. "How would someone kidnap so many people? And why?"

Hewitt shrugged. "I don't know, but it's looking likelier every second." He heads over to the stairwell, gun in hand, and gestures for them to follow him. "Either come with us or head back. Your choice. I won't think any less of you for returning."

"I'm not turning back until I find my father," said Julia. "Though I don't know what I can do to help...."

"I'm sure you'll think of something," he says encouragingly. Most men these days would be more protective of the women and encourage them to keep themselves safe from this sort of violent danger but there he is encouraging them to come along. You'd think Americans, in particular, wouldn't have learned the lessons even some Brits were struggling with about a woman's capacity to help in dangerous situations.

[yockenthwaite]

Florence steps through into the room carefully, watching out for the bones and the holes in the ground.

[aine]

"Wait!" John whispers urgently to those not yet through the gap. "I'm getting really uneasy about this, especially about our American friend here. Here he is, gaily leading us deeper and deeper off the beaten track as it were and we're all following like sheep. He seems to know his way around pretty well down here. How did they get all those prisoners past that sticky stuff without it rubbing off? What if he's in league with the kidnappers; we're being a pretty haul with no trouble at all." It's a long speech for the morose John Brooks.

[Laraqua]

"Well there's an easy answer to that one," says Hewitt.

[Mr. Handy]

"That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it?" says Irene to John. "He tried to talk us out of going down here if I recall correctly. That said, it doesn't make sense for anyone to kidnap dozens of people. It would take at least as many people, probably twice as many, to pull it off. And what would they do with them all? It's quite a length to go to just to get unrationed meat. I don't pretend to know what's going on, but the fact is that all these people are missing and we have a duty to try to locate and help them. Whoever doesn't want to come with can follow my marks back to the shelter, but I'm going forward." Considering how tall she is, Irene decides it would be best to lie down and slide underneath the lower rope.

OOC,[b]Irene[/b] isn't [b]Sarah[/b]. ;)

[Laraqua]

Show,sorry, mixed the great Aunt with the great Niece....

Considering that she dragged herself along the brick, she comes up without too much dirt on her uniform which suggests that this place has been kept reasonably tidy although the idea of someone sweeping this floor seems more than a bit ludicrous. As she slides underneath it, Hewitt trains the light on the lower rope (for that is what it most closely resembles at this range) which is about three inches thick and she can see the glittering amongst its strands. It looks almost like someone had placed hundreds of thousands of spider web lines against each other like fibres from across the room.

[Mr. Handy]

"They're like spiderwebs," says Irene in wonder as she stands back up, dusts herself off, and stares at them. "I'd hate to meet the spider that made these, it'd have to be huge! Reverend, do these look like the things you saw dragging you and the others?"

[royya]

Doug still hangs in the back. He looks nervously at both ways of the tunnel, waiting for the others to proceed through the crack and into the room. He will join after them with the light he holds.
Ancient Celtic civilization built this place under London and someone took over?
He remarks to no one in particular. All he knows is that Celts were in Britain centuries ago and no more.

[jimacol]

"I'm afraid I did not see what dragged me Miss Carpenter, it was far too dark" Rupert responds. "I suppose it's possible". He inspects the strands closer. "It's like nothing I've ever seen. Perhaps it's one of these military inventions we've been making lately, rather advanced for simple kidnappers, wouldn't you say?" he suggests. Due to his rather portly frame, Rupert also crawls underneath the lower strand. As he comes up, he addresses Hewitt "Mr Hewitt. This is all getting rather bizarre and distressing. Is there something you are not telling us? You seem remarkably calm. Given we are plunging into the unknown, any information you are withholding may be vital for our safety. I'm sure some of these good people here feel as I do. Many I'm sure have families and dependants relying on them, and would need to make an informed decision before deciding to proceed with us."

Laraqua only,this is a bit new to me, would a Persuade roll be appropriate about now?

[jimacol]

Persuade Roll,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3756640/]Persuade 70, rolled 36[/url]

[dormire]

Having had some time to ruminate on their predicament and after allowing the whiskey to calm his nerves somewhat, William speaks up, "I agree with John. What exactly is your game, Yank? Why are you here and why are you so calm in the face of this weirdness. I've been on many a battlefield and this place rattles me. I'll follow the ladies, just to ensure some protection, but I'd really like to know your story before we go traipsing down the abyss." He realizes his grip has tightened on the pistol and he forces his fingers to relax.

[Mr. Handy]

"You do act as though you know more than you've let on, Mr. Hewitt," says Irene. "If there's anything you haven't told us, you really ought to."

[Laraqua]

Hewitt sighs. "To be perfectly honest I don't know what's going on down here. All I know is that a few other underground shelters have been cleared out and the only sign was a hole in the floor. The government's been keeping it pretty hush hush as shelters are meant to be, well, shelter. One of those shelters was beneath a school.... There's been children in every single one of them. I-I went to the Local Government Authority and managed to charm my way into seeing the underground routes and I found there was a pattern to it. It turns out that my pattern was right, or perhaps I was lucky, because we've passed through so many damn tunnels that none of them hook up just so to the main lines I thought were being used." He shrugs. "To be honest, I don't think what we're dealing with is human but if I go much more into my previous experiences you'll just think I'm a crazed tramp. I've learned that the only way for people to understand this sort of stuff involves first-hand experiences."

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, I suppose we're getting it in spades now," says Irene. "Thank you for being honest with us, and thank you for your courageous efforts to help. They've taken children too...it's even more important that we get to the bottom of this. I can't think of any sort of animal that could be doing this, so of course it's got to be people. I was just kidding about the giant spider bit."

[yockenthwaite]

"Yes thank you for telling us more," agrees Florence. "It sounds hard to believe, but we've all now seen strange and bizarre things, and I'm probably more open to the idea than I would have been if I'd heard it before. Children being involved just makes things so much worse. We have to keep looking, and we all have to be alert to danger. Whoever is doing this is clearly very dangerous."

[dormire]

William's face darkens at the mention of children in trouble. "Right. Well, if children are involved in this nasty business the only thing I can say is, lead on." He begins to struggle through the gap, handing his cane to Hewitt as he slides through.

[aine]

John nods briefly, shrugging to William. "Fair enough Mr. Hewitt, I'll take you on your word." He climbs through the gap and proceeds to crawl under the threads and bones. He looks carefully at the threads on the way. "Did anyone ever read that book that came out just before the was started? It had dragons and giant spiders in it; they seemed fond of children. Odd book, my Meg loved it." He lapses into silence as he struggles along the floor.

[Mr. Handy]

"You mean The Hobbit?" asks Irene, fond memories returning. "Yes, I've read it, and it's quite good. My little brother Joshua read it first and raved about it, so I and my older brother Oliver read it after he was done. That Tolkien chap really knows how to create a world and draw you into it."

[royya]

Children, children ...
Doug says as he pass through the crack into the room, looking back every second, hoping the thing that shrieked earlier is not coming after him.
Am I the only one hearing he said that it is not human. What do you mean not human ? then what is it a wraith ?

[Laraqua]

"That is something I don't know," said Hewitt. "I doubt, however, that this is from a giant spider. It might be something that exudes a substance that can be molded into these large trip wires. Let's face it. If I hadn't come through and been suspicious about whether they were sticky, someone here would be caught like the tar baby." He smirks. "Perhaps I'm wrong, though. It might be something an alchemist cooked up."