Chapter 1: New York City

[Mr. Handy]

"Make sure they send an ambulance too!" adds Amy. Then she runs for the elevator, which is conveniently in the lobby, to take it back up to the fourth floor.

[Dave Syrinx]

Having done his civic duty, Gerald walks back to the fire scape and picks his pipe up, seeing that the two friends have knocked out the man on the landing.
Gerald enters the foyer through the front doors and wonders what's the matter with all the people stealing from Elias.
"Hope he's alright, the old chap."

Seeing Amy he asks,
"How is he?"

[Mr. Handy]

"I don't know!" cries Amy as she races for the elevator, her voice tinged with despair. "We just called for the police and an ambulance. I'm on my way back up to see if I can help him!"

[Ritterton]

"Well done Anderson, well done," Artemis congratulated his colleague and found himself breathing deeply. His heart continued to race as the reality of the situation and fight continued to flood over him. He felt a sharp sting on his right arm and saw the slash through his jacket and a red stain. He would have to deal with that later, both the wound and the jacket. He reached for the thug's knife to keep it away from should he regain consciousness. Then went to reach into the man's pockets. "we need to find some clue as to who these men were and why they killed Jackson."

[Overlord87]

When everything's done and the adrenaline shock subsides, Roger feels the grief and tiredness overcome him. As soon as Amy leaves the hall, he lets himself fall on an armchair, covers his face with his hands, and starts crying in silence.

[kabukiman]

Actually it was thanks to you that we managed to stop him- says Anderson- we must indeed find a clue about their identities before the police arrives.

[Ritterton]

"Keep a hold of him, Anderson," Artemis said as he tried searching the prone man's clothing for anything else that might reveal who or what he was

[Quatermass]

"Keep a hold of him, Anderson," Artemis said as he tried searching the prone man's clothing for anything else that might reveal who or what he was

Artemis and Anderson search the man and finds some items in his pockets.

A letter



A business card



A matchbox

[Quatermass]

Amy, Marga, and Gerald jump into the open elevator and head up to the fourth floor. A few moments later you walk up to the open door to Jackson's room.

[Dave Syrinx]

Gerald walks into the room and sees the state of it all. Incapacitated thugs and the laugh of the party, still being the centre of attention albeit for a reason not wanted by anyone.
He looks at the wounds. "Seems ritualistic..." He is covering the lower part of Elias' body with a plaid blanket and shuts the poor man's eyes.
"Do we have a statement ready for the constables?"

[Ritterton]

"We have some clues, Anderson, and I would suggest that we say we didn't find anything on the man," Artemis folded the items and slipped them into his jacket pocket with a wink at Anderson to do the same with what he found. "We need to get the police to come here and take this guy into custody. OFFICER!! OFFICER!! HELP US PLEASE!!"

[Mr. Handy]

"How bad is he hurt?" calls Amy, bursting into the room just after Gerald has covered Jackson's lower body. "I'm here, Jackson!"

[Dave Syrinx]

"I'm afraid he's in he big sleep, miss. Amy." Knowing she's no one to be stopped easily, he lets her pass, thinking it might even put themselves in a better light with the heart crushed girl among the gentlemen framing the scene. This all very much reminds him about a cave on Tafelberg overlooking Cape Town. "This is utterly out of place, gentlemen. I'd expect this by the Ibutho Lempi of Mthethwa. But, not on Manhattan. Assuredly out of place."

[kabukiman]

Anderson nods.
"You are absolutly rigth."
Anderson continues watching the man.

[RonaHattingh]

Marga is right behind Amy. She knows Amy wont believe anyone until she has seen for herself that Jackson is gone. Marga stays close by to catch Amy when she needs it.

[Quatermass]

Amy seeing Jackon's face with a hideous symbol carved into his forehead knows he is dead.




There is blood splattered all over the bed and a ropey intestine hangs off the edge of the bed.

OOC:   Amy can make a sanity check.

[Mr. Handy]

Amy doesn't break down completely, but she cannot help being affected. The floodgates open as her heart shatters into a million pieces. Turning away, she falls into Marga's arms and weeps uncontrollably, pressing her face into her friend's shoulder. "Why?" she sobs.

OOC,Sanity roll (current level 70) for seeing [b]Jackson[/b]'s corpse: [dice]0[/dice]

[Overlord87]

It takes Roger a few minutes to regain his composure. Elias wouldn't want this. He would want his friends to strengthen up and do something. As he always did, he would want for us to search the truth.

He stands up slowly, a determined expression on his face. The same expressione he's wearing when he enters again in that damned hotel room. He looks for a brief instant at Amy, crying in Marga's arms, then focus his attention on the men. "Any idea on who did this? And why?"

[Quatermass]

Horatio looks at Amy with a expression of deep sadness. "Oh Amy........" he mumbles. Looking around at the others he shakes his head as if to clear his mind. "Quickly, before the police come. Search the room for clues." He stammers to Roger.

[Mr. Handy]

Amy takes a handkerchief out of her purse and mops up her tears until it is sopping wet. "I'll do what I can to help," she finally manages, sniffling. "We have to find out who these guys are and why they..." A fresh round of crying ensues.