CHAPTER ONE: Murray's Journey: Following

[Laraqua]

"She used to work in Annie's Bar," said Craig. "She was a little, well, there were rumors about her. Drug dealing, maybe abuse, things like that. I think Jack once tried to expose her, or something, before he got stabbed by that homeless guy ... like there's many homeless in Silent Hill. There were rumors.... I don't know. I don't know much about the situation, only that she went missing recently after Jack was ... yeah. I think I got confused after hearing Jack's voice. The two were once as thick as thieves."

[Mr. Handy]

"I'd heard about the stabbing," says Murray, "but the rest of it is news to me. Do you know where and when Rochelle was last seen? And what were these rumors you heard?"

[Laraqua]

"No, not really, not last seen by anyone," said Craig. "I think it might have been her bar? Or maybe her home? I don't know where she lived but I'm sure there's something at the bar that could show us where to go. As for the rumors, I don't know. Something about Jack getting himself involved in something big. Some people figured he was responsible for all the drug abuse at that place, others said he'd gone all vigilante and maybe he broke outta hospital and kidnapped her himself to 'fix' her. Jack'd know more but, well, he's supposed to be dead. His family had him cremated and all. How can he still be here?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, he only said he was Jack Fifer," says Murray. "I'd never met the man before, so he could have been anyone. But it seems like you recognized the voice. I actually went to Annie's Bar looking for Ash earlier but saw the police tape, so I didn't go inside. I went to the hospital to find out if someone had been taken there, and also because I knew that Ash had been visiting someone there. That's when I found out about the stabbing. All right, let's go to Annie's Bar. I just hope we don't run into any more of those freaky things. I mean, what the hell was that?"

[Laraqua]

Craig shrugs. "Whatever it was, it wasn't friendly."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yeah," says Murray. He leads the way back to the rear exit and has his gun ready when opening the door and venturing outside.

[Laraqua]

The door to the ante-chamber that contains the Exit and the Green Room is stuck. The door handle rattles beneath his fingers, but there's no sense of give in the door. There's the vague sound of a drum roll coming from the theatre stage.

"That's really not a good sign," said Craig. "Guess we have to go out the front?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, at least the car's out front," says Murray. He puts his gun away and consults the map again. "All right, we keep going past the door. Then we go around the corner to the right, where there's a door to a stretch of corridor that leads to the front."

[Laraqua]

The door to the corridor is locked, as is the one on the other side. The drum rolls have long since ended and a heavy silence hangs across the theatre, threatening to suffocate them in its austerity. Their shoe steps are the only sounds, beating rhythmically across the floor, yet never once managing to lift that oppressive weight of otherwise-silent that lingers across the theatre.

"Do you get the feeling we're being shepherded?" asked Craig. "D'you think Jack has any friends?"

[Mr. Handy]

"Yeah, I have been getting that feeling," says Murray. "Jack was alone the last I saw him and, while bartenders are supposed to be good with people skills, I can't imagine anyone palling around with him in his current state. I don't know how he could have arranged to mess with that door and seal us in, if that's what you're thinking. You got any keys to interior doors? If not, I may be able to pick the lock."

[Laraqua]

"Uh, sure," said Craig, pulling out the keys and attempting to insert it into the lock. "Err, I think there's something inside there that's blocking the key."

[Mr. Handy]

"Let me take a look," says Murray. He takes out his lockpicks and fiddles around with the lock, doing his best to dislodge the obstruction and open the door while he's at it.

[Laraqua]

Murray manages to dislodge the object, a tiny tooth, that drops out of the key hole onto the floor before him, but as he does so he can vaguely make out the sound of a door creaking open somewhere down the corridor and to the left. It'll take another go with the lockpicks to unlock the door itself.

[Mr. Handy]

"We might have company coming up behind us," whispers Murray. "Try the key now. We'll lock it behind us." A tooth! he thinks. Who the hell jams a lock with a tooth?!

[Laraqua]

Craig steps forward, fumbling for the keys in his pocket, and the key clicks against the lock several times before he manages to slide it home and turn it with that satisfying click of tumblers. Unfortunately, it's a little too late. Craig's just not fast enough to unlock salvation before a familiar figure rounds the corner. Jack steps around, clutching his shotgun in both hands, his coat flapping behind him as he moves.

Show,not sure where this is going, so Initiative time. It goes Murray, Jack, and then Craig. Murray is currently holding his lockpicks. Jack has the shotgun. Craig has the key. Murray can open the door and head through but it won't lock before Jack gets there unless he slams it shut behind him and leaves Craig with Jack. Of course, this could all be chit-chat and showboating time, in which case, chat in initiative for now.

[Mr. Handy]

Murray spins around very quickly to face Jack. He jams his lockpicks in the pocket where he keeps his revolver and pulls it out in one fluid motion, but he holds his fire as long as Jack makes no threatening moves. "Oh, it's you," he says with apparent relief. "For a second I thought it was another of those freaks. You shouldn't sneak up on people."

OOC,[b]Jack[/b] has DEX 11, so unless he rolls a 10, I get to go first. Otherwise, do we go at the same time?

[Seon]

"Freaks? Nope. Not a freak here," Jack quickly said, still keeping the gun pointed at Murray. "Put down that pistol, will yah?"

Spoiler:

Rolled Fast talk. Just barely made it under 75%

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,I don't think social skills like Fast Talk work on PCs. You actually have to convince the player for that, at least the way I play. It might work on [b]Craig[/b], though.

"Sure," says Murray with an amiable grin. "Just as soon as you put down that shotgun." He watches Jack's trigger finger carefully, ready to fire first if he starts to pull.

[Laraqua]

Show,I run it that the rolls don't convince so much as describe a person's body language / manner / vocal tone. His successful Fast Talk roll simply means that you can't tell if he's lying - he seems like he's honestly concerned - kinda like a Bluff check. Persuade would make him appear more likable and easygoing (thus take more time) - kinda like a Diplomacy check. Murray doesn't have to believe / do what he says, but he's given no reason to think otherwise. So take it into consideration, but don't obey it.

[Seon]

"With that guy next to you, no way," Jack said, suddenly turning the gun on Craig. "Tell me, detective, what are you trying to do now?"