CHAPTER ONE: Cole's Journey: Lock & Key

[Laraqua]

Cole manages to slip open the door and step into the room. Father Vincent is sitting behind his desk with his polished black shoes on the table, dressed in a tailored vest and slacks, while he reads a book and sips his coffee. An ugly brown rug lays on the floor with a seemingly occult design in thick red that takes up much of the room. There is no way to reach Vincent without stepping within the sigil though, of course, it would be meaningless, wouldn't it? Simply being a rug design. It would be an easy matter to step quietly forward and taze him in the shoulder.

[Garrett]

I pay the rug no mind upon seeing father Vincent, excited I move a bit faster though still quietly on the fastest path to him I can, paying no mind if the rug is in between us. I intend to wrap my arm around his neck and put my gun to his face, warning him not to cry out; if I am trapped in the circle I will merely point my gun at him.

Spoiler:

I have a strong feeling this will end bad but roleplaying wise Cole hasn't seen any supernatural shit yet and wouldn't be on guard for that kind of thing.

[Laraqua]

The tazer connects and the priest jolts, shaking as the volts course through his body. He shakes uncontrollably and then falls still with a gasp, allowing Cole a short period of time to do what needs to be done. Luckily, he's already sitting on a chair so that might make things simpler.

[Garrett]

After he is bound with the rope I slap him awake keeping my left hand on his throat, ready to crush his windpipe if he cries out. In my right hand I hold my gun to his face. As he wakes up I look deep into his eyes and keep my face close to his.
"Father Vincent I am here because you are in possession of a very valuable book that my employer wants, tell me where it is and you might just live through the night."
-If he refuses or feins ignorance I stab him in the leg with my knife, then twist the blade while crushing his throat so he can't cry out.
-If he directs me to another room I carry him with me to said room and retrieve it, I do the same as above if he tries to trick me.

[Laraqua]

Vincent's eyes widen as he comes back to his senses after about fifteen seconds of trembling, and Cole notices that one of his pupils is differently sized to the other. His lips quirk in a smile. "Which one? The one on the desk is a very valuable one that is ranked quite highly by Silent Hill. Perhaps you should try that one."

The book has a rather prosaic cover of the town with a view from the lake and is called Secrets of Silent Hill.

"Don't let the cover fool you. It's the cliff notes that matter."

[Garrett]

I harden my gaze on him and squeeze his throat a little tighter.
"The book I'm looking for is worth over twenty grand, I doubt you have two that valueble and I really doubt you would have something like that without knowing what its worth, now are you sure that this is the book because I'm going to be very mad if your wrong." I say grabbing it and flipping through the pages, seeing if it fits the description I was given.
-If it does I slit his throat, once again careful not to get any blood on myself, and leave the way I came in. Returning immediately to my car with they intention of leaving town immediately.
-If not I stab him in the leg and demand he tell the truth.

I deleted the email about the book I was stealing,was I given a title or anything like that?

[Laraqua]

The tome Cole is looking for is meant to have a stout leather cover with gold leaf in a particular pattern with a title also written in gold leaf: Hex Dahlia. It's still worth flipping open the book but the cliff-notes are written in pen on modern printed pages and the tome is meant to be written using an ink quill. Seeing that it's not the book he's after, Cole stabs him in the leg, demanding answers.

Father Vincent's breath hisses out between his teeth and he looks at Cole, really looks at him, as though only just seeing him for the first time. "I think I see...."

Blood runs down Vincent's legs onto the rug below, mixing with the dark carpet.

"Defixio, but I do have multiple books worth that much," he says, releasing his breath and looking at Cole as though the pain no longer hurts him. "I was stabbed before, did you know? Twice. Defixio." His gaze flicks off to one side. "I thought we were friends. "Well, hallus mei tute defixio. Do you think god will save me now?"

[Garrett]

At the mention of God I grow angry, I strike him hard in the face to silence him. "Your more then a few screws loose aren't ya motherfucker?" I give him a detailed description of the book and demand again for him to tell me where it is. "Oh, and your not the first dumb ass who thought there was a God who cared enough about him to intervene on his behalf that I killed; so why don't you cut the bullshit?"
-if he starts saying anything other then the location of the book I squeeze his throat tight and cut him off, then stab him again this time in the face.
-If he does tell me the location, I go where he instructs keeping him with me and keeping a hand on his throat.

[Laraqua]

Vincent nods, smiling and revealing that he's been hit hard enough to make his gums bleed. "In the other room. In a safe."

Cole roughly drags him to his feet and Vincent hobbles in front of him, unsteady but for Cole's hands on him. Vincent staggers and almost falls, landing dead center on the rug and spitting up blood as he does so. Somewhere, out in the town, an air raid siren begins to blow its long, mournful tune. Or at least, it sounds like an air raid siren. It's certainly not coming from this house although why a town would allow something so very loud is beyond him.

[Garrett]

Ah well, as long as there not police sirens I don't need to worry about them, at least not for now. I grab Vincent roughly by the collar and lift him up. "If you pass out your not gonna like being woken up by me." Going into the next room I glance around for the safe and upon finding it, assuming I do, I shove him in front of it demanding he open it. Same punishment as above if he fools around or deceives me.
-If I get the book I do as I said above with slitting his throat and leaving.

[Laraqua]

"I won't pass out, promise," says Vincent, spitting more blood as he's dragged to his feet, though he's at least clever enough to avoid trying to spit it at Cole. He stumbles forward, dripping more blood on the rug, and makes it to the door as Cole wrenches it open and shoves him through it. The corridor is dark and it's hard to hold Vincent , a knife, and a flashlight at the same time, but there's enough light spilling out from the bedroom to light their way. Cole shoves open the next room and finds a library with thick glass cases arranged beneath the windows, each one with a book and keypad. In between the windows are various book cases, filled with tomes of varying eras, and in the center of the room sits a writing desk and a chair. A woman stands in the middle of the room, to the left of the chair, wearing a red cardigan and a white dress. Her blonde hair hangs loose around her shoulders, a white cap on her hair, like an old-fashioned nurses. She wears low heeled red shoes, no stockings.

Before Cole can react, she turns around and looks at him with big, desperate eyes. "Hello? I'm lost." She doesn't seem to notice the knife or Vincent's blood, but she is silhouetted in the street lights that provide an almost angelic glow against the window glass, while Cole and Vincent are framed against a darkened hallway.

[Garrett]

I felt my pulse quicken, what was this? Who was she? Thinking of nothing else to do I threw Vincent on the ground and pointed my knife at her, I spoke as I quickly approached her. "Who the fuck are you?" Screw it, doesn't matter. "Don't you dare move, if you run or scream he dies!" I say nodding at Vincent.
-if I reach her without incident I grab her and force her to the ground, I hold her there by the throat and demand Vincent get me the book I need.

[Laraqua]

Her gaze latches on the knife and she backs away, trying to move around the desk and keep it between them. "No, please, what're you doing ... I don't want to die!" She looks pretty young, somewhere between sixteen and nineteen, though she'd surely have to be a little older to be a nurse, if indeed she is one. His gaze intent on her, he lunges over the desk toward herbut she backpeddles out of the way too quickly. He tries againbut she's too fast for him.

[Garrett]

Frustrated I put the knife away, I keep my hand in my pocket so that I can grab my tazer though I don't reveal this. I stop moving forward and try to look sympathetic at her. "Look sweetheart I really don't want to hurt you." I said not at all dishonest, I hate hurting woman, especially one as young as her, makes me feel like a bully. I tried to make my voice sound tender. "Just do what I say and I won't have to. Sit down" I say almost pleadingly beckoning to the desk near me. I back away just enough that she could approach it without getting too close to me. I glance over my shoulder to make sure Vincent hasn't moved.
-If she does as I say I slowly approach, stopping if she moves away. I attempt to keep a calm demeanor.
-If she continues running I point my gun at her, and in an oppenly begging voice plead with her to sit down.

If I need to I'm using fast talk here,unless that causes problems.

[Laraqua]

She pulls back against the book case, arms crossed over her chest, hands gripping at her elbows, and eyes wide and teary as she stares at him. "Please don't hurt me.... I don't know where I am."

Vincent has wormed his way out into the corridor and gives Cole a lopsided grin, before shoving the door shut with his feet. There's a dull, yet oh so loud groaning noise, like the earth itself is shifting then a thud from the other side of the door.

[Garrett]

"shit!" I say before running over to the door, beating it open to go after Vincent."

[Laraqua]

The door is jammed. The handle turns but seems disconnected from anything, turning loosely in his hands.

[Garrett]

error

[Garrett]

Using all my strength I attempt to force the door open, if Vincent makes it outside or to a phone I'm screwed. I only glance back to make sure the girl hasn't done anything before doing so.
-if the door opens I chase out looking for Vincent.
-If the door is un-movable I will quickly look for the book and flee out the window.
-If the door opens to some alien location I will ask the girl if she knows whats going on as I look for the book.

[Laraqua]

The door doesn't budge, no matter how hard Cole slams his shoulder against it. The girl screams and backs up into the corner of the room, further and further, each time he hurls himself against the wood. When he turns to look at her, her hands are balled into fists - not in aggression, but in fear - the nails curled into her palms. Then she grabs a book and slams it through one of the glass panes in the arched window and screams for help, cutting her hands as she tries to crawl through the small gap she has made.