Act One, Scene 2a - Imprisoned!

[Aliktren]

Rawsons first clue that something is amiss is evident from the early morning sun, the car is heading South and he knows that the police station is North, the car races through the early dawn down narrow streets heading south with scant regard for early rising pedestrians or other road users.

After about ten minutes the car pulls into puddle filled dead-end alleyway, dank from the previous days rain, the alley is filled with discarded rubbish, sodden from the rain. A rusting Iron Staircase runs up the alley wall to a low wooden door, Further up you can see windows, some barred from the outside. A choking Stench hangs over the alley, as if forced up out of the storm drain by the hammering rain.

Rawson is pushed roughly out of the car, and then is held very strongly from behind whilst he is bound, gagged and hooded before being part dragged, part stumbling up what can only be the staircase on the side of the building, led through the doorway and through a series of rooms before the hood is removed and he is shoved roughly into what is apparently a cell, the room is home to three motley cots, set up against the far wall, a filthy chamber pot sits below a barred window, surrounded by a horde of flies and a powerful stench emanating from outside, clearly it sees regular use. The door is banged shut and the lock snicks.

[DrPeterson]

Rawson blinks as he adjusts to the sudden light, uttering some protest:

"I say, this is highly irregular!
I'm quite sure this is not the police station!"

He looks around the cell, pulls up his nose at the fetid stench and walks to the bars.

"This is no way to treat a gentleman!
This is the kind of treatment up with which I will not put!

Who is in charge here? I demand to be spoken to!"

[Aliktren]

Judging by the heat and chinks of sunlight seeping through the wattle and daub roof Rawson judges it to be midday when the door opens and a tall, elegant woman enters the room, she picks up a chair, examines it with a look of mild disgust, before bringing it closer to Rawsons cell, settling it gently and sweeping her dress under her sits and observes Rawson for a moment with a look of curiosity. She plucks Rawsons papers from a pocket and examines them

"Mr Rawson, you were a friend of Bollanchers yes ? - his death was very regrettable"

The stares at him for a moment.

"Who were you with at Chicago House Mr Rawson, what were you doing there ?"

[DrPeterson]

Rawson barely manages to hide his surprise at the appearance of a woman. He brushes off his jacket and straightens his moustache before replying.

"I beg your apologies for my rather uncouth appearance, madam, the men who apprehended me were less than civil. I am Mr. Herbert Rawson, of Maynard & Rawson in London, but recently attached to Chicago House as financial councillor and, I daresay, close friend to the late Dr Bollancher.
Now before we continue with this line of conversation, I would like to know why I was taken here and would most certainly appeal to my rights as a subject of the Crown"

[Aliktren]

"I am Madam Carlisle"

After a pause the woman looks at Rawson questioningly, and seems to come quickly to a conclusion

"You don't know anything, do you ? - you and your friends have fumbled and blundered about in that place and come away none the wiser for the experience" she laughs, a small short snigger of derision.
"Meanwhile I have wasted time and resources fetching you here instead of leaving you to rot in some Egyptian jailhouse for the night, whilst your friends no doubt blunder about in the night in a fruitless effort to find you and all the time we run out of time"

"I am afraid Mister Rawson, your rights matter little at this moment, the thin veneer of civilization at the moment slips away and your good manners and *English* Crown mean little", she pauses, and regards Rawson sadly.

"Bollancher was an arrogant fool, he messed around with things that he did not understand, he ... found.. something, something terrible, something " the woman shudders and for a moment is quiet "something ancient, something evil, Mr Rawson, something that has slept since the time of the Pharoahs, something the likes of which you cannot imagine, even in your darkest dreams. He opened a Crypt that he should not have, but that is just the beginning. Something evil is imprisoned in the Desert, Mr Rawson, and now things.... terrible things are free and trying to awake this evil...."

She regards Rawson carefully, judging his reaction to her words......

[Spoiler-Button]you may continue the conversation and try for Fast talking details [/Spoiler-Button]

[DrPeterson]

Fast Talk success!,[url]http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4069608/[/url]

"Miss Carlisle, despite your perceived loss of time and resources, I would like to thank you sincerely for intervening on my behalf. You are a far more charming gaoler than the 'gypo's. Might I, in the same breath, be so bold as to suggest effecting my release from this incarceration?"

Rawson puffs up like some kind of strutting peacock, still stoic, though slightly less so.

"If I might assuage your concern, we found out a whole lot more than you seem to credit us for. Unless 'Awaken Old Ones, Flooding Nile' means nothing to you, but I doubt that sincerely.

As for Professor Bollancher, he was and shall remain in my eyes a brilliant researcher and great friend. You will have to come up with more compelling proof than tales of evil in the desert, Miss Carlisle, though I note the sincerity of your concern. We're used to doing archaeology and every digger, porter or driver we hire has at least a dozen such tales. Each of which are dismissed as old wives tales as soon as the bakshish starts to flow."



Almost as an afterthought, he adds

"And good manners are all that matter, madam, especially when, as you say, civilisation is slipping away."

[Aliktren]

Carlisle frowns at Rawsons mention of release and shakes her head dismissively "I think not Mr Rawson, if you have any information to share, then share it, but I cannot have any loose cannons on this trip, the evil Bollancher uncovered must be stopped, what he saw drove him insane, surely you must realise that, they drove him to terrible deeds, whatever he saw unhinged his mind, Mr Rawson, drove him to horrific acts, the bodies at Chicago House are testament to that. Knowing that his colleagues would only press further in their investigations, he slaughtered them all. It was the affair, you see, between Rose and Jamison, drove the man over the edge, he tried to not merely kill them, but to erase them from existence"

"My colleagues and I are here to stop the forces that would free this evil, we will seek it out, and bind it to our will, control it"

She stops herself as if realising she has said too much

"Our research shows the thing can be bound, help me, tell me anything you know Mr Rawson, and I will make certain it does not get free of it's prison, otherwise I must leave you in the capable hands of Jack whilst I go and prepare for the trip"

[DrPeterson]

Rawson wrinkles his nose, his disdain clearly showing.

"Madam, that is preposterous, I must ask you to desist this slanderous conduct! Ros...Mrs Bollancher's honour is beyond reproach! And now you even insinuate that Professor Bollancher killed his wife!

You claim to combat evil, but spread evil yourself with this defamation. If you can not be clearer on your purpose, then I must apologise for in that case I can nor will help you."

[Aliktren]

"Well, I see this conversation will lead us nowhere" Carlisle turns primly and walks out of the room muttering about sending someone called Jack up with water and something to eat and makes her way down the stairs, leaving Rawson alone with his protests, the rain re-starts and thunder rolls in the distance, the roof starts leaking in a few places, adding more interesting smells to the dank room.

[DrPeterson]

Rawson puffs up again, not understanding the woman's reaction.


"I say, this is highly inappropriate! I would insist that you release me, Miss Carlisle!"

[Aliktren]

Only echoey footsteps down the staircase greet your imprecations, and though you can hear a distant mumbled conversation and the distant sounds of the Luxor streets, all is quiet.

[DrPeterson]

Rawson tries to cast a glance down the staircase and exclaims:

"My word, this is not to be borne! I demand you release me at once!"

He paces around the cell a few times and sighs exasperated. He puffs up his chest, twirls up his moustache and says to himself:

"What ho, Bertie? This not how a gentleman behaves, letting himself slide down into dark pits of despair! Shape up, man, and pull yourself together!"

He seems to take heart from his own words and in full voice he starts singing Jerusalem, his hand on his heart.

"And did those feet in ancient time.
Walk upon England's mountains green..."

[Aliktren]

The World, oblivious to the fine words of William Blake, sends a cold trickle of rain from a hole in the roof down Rawsons collar.

[DrPeterson]

He shivers as the drop runs down his spine.
Exasperated he stops singing, grabbing the bars of his cell he shouts.

"I'm English! We're the good guys, you know!"

He sighs deeply, contemplates sitting down, but isn't too sure about the floor and finds a spot away from the leaky areas of the roof and continues, though less passionate than before.


"...And was Jerusalem builded here,
Among these dark Satanic Mills?"

[Aliktren]

After what seems like a long time there are the sounds of footsteps, it is Jack Saul, you recognise him at once as he worked at Chicago House, and you find yourself slightly surprised that he is alive, he regards you for a few moments, he smells strongly of cheap wine and is swaying very slightly, however he carries a revolver in his belt next to a large bunch of keys and after a moment he puts down a tray he has been balancing precariously, it has a jug, a cup and what appear to be dates on it

"Heh, Rawson ey, Well I brought you some food and water, sorry about..." he waves his arms around expansively all this, but can't have you running around spoiling mine and the bosses plans now can we ey"

[DrPeterson]

"Jack Saul, as I live and breathe!"

He gets and walks towards the railing, his stomach roaring unceremoniously at the side of the dates.

"There's been a terrible misunderstanding, old boy, we came here to help, not to run around and spoil plans, or whatever you are on about. Quickly, unlock this door!"

[Aliktren]

Jack fiddles nervously with the keys but stays where he is, " you're too late Rawson, whatever you are trying to do, to late to catch her, she left hours ago, you should, you know, leave, you're here now but the police think you and your friends killed everyone in Chicago House, you should just, flee, you know, run away from the city as fast as you can, it's only a matter of time before Captain LeSalle finds you."

[DrPeterson]

Rawson frowns at the incoherent explanation and clacks his tongue.

"Well Jackie, old sport, I'd love nothing better than to get out of here, but as you might have surmised from my whereabouts, I seem to be rather confined to this particular area. Now I would like to point out that if -she- has been gone for hours and that -she- is beyond capture, there would be no harm in affecting my release. Also I'm quite sure that no one in this room would like me to fall into the hands of LaSalle, now would we, Jack Saul, since I'm always so quick to mention my associates."

He places extra emphasis on the name, scarcely revealing the threatening nature of his statement.



OOC: Do I know who this LaSalle is?

[Aliktren]

Jack looks momentarily flummoxed as he process's in his drink addled brain what Rawson has said and pauses, a little confused about what to do, after a short pause he continues....

"Look Rawson, Professor Bollacher made a fatal error when he stole the keystone from the New Crypt. Deep ones have already returned to the Nile, calling upon their ancient allies, summoning horrors from the deep! It is up to us, the theosophists, to set things right. Stay out of our way, and we might still be able to save the city!, thats why you're here, I can't let you go until it's over, I'm, I'm sorry Rawson, but you know too much"

(OOC obviously this may make little sense to Rawson so please continue with questions - LaSalle you don't know but could infer a senior policeman)

[DrPeterson]

Rawson masks his grasping at loose ends with a few calculated guesses, pressing the advantage of class over Jack Saul.

Deep ones? Well obviously, man, don't you think we're trying to stop it all from happening too? Remember Awaken Old Ones, Flooding Nile? Only a fool would be blind to the meaning of that!
And the theosophists will set it right?
I admire your dedication, Jack Saul, but what have the theosophists ever done that's worhty of mention? Really?