The Trapdoor

[Laraqua]

"Upstairs," says Florence, seeming a little confused by the sudden hostility. A confusion that faded into pity as she recalled his tribulations.

[Mr. Handy]

"Hi, Florence," says Irene, relief washing over her. "I very nearly didn't survive. Doctor Houston pushed a button that trapped us down there by sealing off the exit, then sent his patients to attack us. I managed to get to the button and push it again to open the door, making it clear with only a few bruises. Doug bore the brunt of it. I did what I could for him, but one of his wounds didn't want to close. Mr. Hewitt managed to kill the doctor, while Doug fought off the mob. When he cut into one of them, there was this...parasite inside. Looked like a giant centipede. Hewitt went into a state of shock, but he's not physically hurt. We got him out of there and sealed the trapdoor behind us, but they're not trying to break it open or anything. I'm just glad you two are all right."

[royya]

Who's on the phone and why didn't you wait for us?
Doug asks Florence.
How can it be that you have not seen the doctor come down to us?

[Laraqua]

"He was already in the room when we were," said Florence. "We came up when the others went down there. I thought you might need a little professional help so we went for the phone. I had the police on the line though the line just dropped and the operator is trying to find a way to either patch us through or get a bicycle messenger over to the station. I managed to telephone the police and talk to them for a minute or two but not long enough to give an address as I simply didn't know it. I needed to get back to the operator to find out where we are calling from." She sighs. "It's all so confusing."

[Mr. Handy]

Irene lowers her head. "Julia didn't make it," she says. "There was already nothing left of her before we even got down there. When we tried to come upstairs to join you, we found the door to be locked, but Doug took care of it. It's good that you called for help, Florence. I doubt we can sort this whole mess by ourselves. It is strange, not knowing where we've come up. Looking outside wouldn't help. Not only is it dark, but all the street signs have long since been taken down."

[royya]

There was an older man with us. A priest that we found wandering the tunnels, where is he ?
Doug says

[Laraqua]

"I don't know," says Florence. "Did he ever come up into that office with us? Maybe he stayed behind in the basement. I ... I don't remember him coming up with us." She starts looking worried.

[Mr. Handy]

"I completely lost track of him," says Irene. "If he stayed down there, his chances can't be good."

[royya]

The doctor Hewitt killed injected something to the patients, maybe you can find out what it was.

Doug says.
we can find weapons over here and return to kill down those things.

[Mr. Handy]

"There's too many of them," says Irene. "We'd need grenades to even have a chance. Best to leave that to the military. Besides, maybe there's some way to get the parasites out of those people without killing them. What we need to find are the doctor's notes."

[Laraqua]

"Is the doctor still down there with ... those things?" asks Florence.

[Mr. Handy]

Irene nods. "I didn't have the opportunity to take his pulse," she says, ""but he took a bullet in the head. I doubt he'll be getting back up."

[Laraqua]

"Perhaps we should go for the police ourselves," says Florence. "The blitz seems to be over for now."

[Mr. Handy]

"Good idea," says Irene, nodding again. "Probably best to leave all this for the boffins to sort anyway We'll have to make a note of the address and figure out what street this is, though, or otherwise remember our path. Otherwise, how will anyone find the way back here?"

[royya]

Where is William ? William!
Doug shouts and nods to Hewitt and John
We have two lunatics to carry with us. No hard feelings champs.

ooc,what's the layout of the place? where are we exactly?

[aine]

"Yeah, where is William? The lady seems strangely unworried that he's disappeared." John frowns at Florence and says to Doug. "I reckon we leave the women here and go check upstairs for William - make sure he's okay before we go anywhere else."

[Laraqua]

"What?" says William as he comes down the stairs. "All I found for a weapon was a lamp. It doesn't seem the man had any arms dealers as friends."

The building seems to be a pretty ordinary townhouse with a set of stairs and a telephone in the corridor. There are three doors, all open, which reveal a rather poky front room with brown wallpaper, toilet, and a kitchen with a little table shoved into the corner with a chair pushed up against it.

[Mr. Handy]

"I'm glad to see you're all right," Irene says to William. "The only weapon I know of is Mr. Hewitt's pistol, and he dropped it when he entered his current state. It's down there with...them. If we do leave, I can help carry him. I'm stronger than I look, and I lift patients all the time during the course of my duties."

[royya]

Whatever you want I'm ready.
Doug says

[aine]

John is very relieved to see William, "Good, you're alright." He says gruffly. "Shall we get out of here? "I can carry the American."