Ch.16e Night Moves (Alex & Ivy)

[Philulhu]

Friday March 13th, 1931 7.30pm
Hebert House, Middle Ridge Road, Johnson Bayou, Cameron Parish, Louisiana

Aside from the Hebert children reading their schoolbooks in the living room, the house was quiet, with Mrs Hebert having gone to the evening service. Alex and Ivy had taken up position in the front room, where they had sat in darkness so that their eyes accustomed to the gloom.

The sky was getting very dark by the time they spotted movement on the road in front of Mrs Hebert’s house. They couldn’t be sure it was Nashoba but there was definitely someone out there, making their way past the house and down the road.

[Silver Priest]

"Time to go." Alex looks at Ivy. "The question is how we wish to play this. I think we should first identify that it's Nashoba and follow him. If we're caught we can use our cover story as journalists. If there's any indication he's performing occult activity, we act to stop it."

[jp1885]

"Quite so," replies Ivy, hurriedly rising to grab her coat and bag, checking her revolver and nightstick are ensconced therein. "Now is the hour."

She quickly turns to the children.

"Please inform your mother we might be back late," she says curtly.

[Philulhu]

The girls promised they would do as requested and let Alex and Ivy out through the side door so it wouldn’t be too obvious they had gone out. They followed the path to the front gate, which thankfully didn’t squeak when they opened it. They emerged onto the road, peering up and down for a sign of the person that had just passed by the house.

Spot hidden, please.

[Silver Priest]

1d100

[jp1885]

Ivy’s eyes quickly adjust to the dark.

[48] = 48
Spot hidden 65 1d100: [ 48 ] = 48

[Philulhu]

1d100

The person they had seen making their way down the darkened road could have been Nashoba but neither Alex nor Ivy had actually seen the man - they only had his description to go one.

In any event, the shadowy figure continued down the road, being swallowed by the darkness.

[Silver Priest]

Alex starts to follow in the figure's wake, hesitating only briefly.

[jp1885]

Ivy follows closely behind Alex.

[Philulhu]

The figure ahead seemed to be carrying something, something heavy by the sounds of it. Although his passage was noiseless, there was certainly an amount of huffing and puffing coming from the dark road ahead of them…

[Silver Priest]

Alex is torn. He's not much for stealth, and he doubts Ivy is either.

He continues to get closer, trying to determine what it is the gentleman was carrying, or at least make sure it was indeed Nashoba. If the man spotted them he decides he would play himself off as a concerned citizen offering his aid to someone struggling to carry something.

[jp1885]

At the risk of seeming repetitive, Ivy follows suit, trying to look nonchalant.

[Philulhu]

1d100

Whoever was ahead was seemingly oblivious to their presence as they continued their way down the ill-lit road towards the main part of the small town.

[Silver Priest]

Alex decides he needs to act. If they were heading to the main part of town, they were not concerned about stealth, which led to some concerning implications if it was in fact Nashoba and he was involved in all this.

He moves as close as he can and decides its time to play the concerned citizen. "Do you need some help there sir?"

[jp1885]

Ivy attempts to smile encouragingly, whilst keeping an eye out for anyone else lurking in the shadows.

[49] = 49
Spot Hidden 65 1d100: [ 49 ] = 49

[Philulhu]

In front of them, Alex and Ivy saw a slightly startled, older man, of Native American appearance, wearing a traditional buckskin jacket. ”Who’s there?!” he snapped. ”You’ll do a man a mischief, sneaking up on him in the dark!”

Spot hidden, please.

[Silver Priest]

"Very sorry to startle you Sir," Alex says, continuing to move towards the man in a hopefully non threatening manner. "We're new to the town and felt like taking a nighttime stroll to aid our constitutions. We saw you struggling there and thought to offer you some assistance if you needed it." He smiles.

1d100

1d100

[Philulhu]

”More white folks,” the man replied, scowling. ”I’ll be sure I can manage,” he said defensively.

He appears to be carrying a round, metal fuel can.

[Silver Priest]

"I'm sure you can as well, but it's really no trouble." Alex says, a big smile on his face. "That can looks heavy!"

"Hey now... begging your pardon, but you wouldn't happen to be Mr. Nashoba, would you? Our friends mentioned buying you a meal earlier and said you all had an interesting discussion. I'm Alex, this is Ivy. We've been talking with Mr. Halpert, who was full of complaints about the oil company around here. Frankly seeing the foreman there I can't really blame him; they seem very disruptive to this entire community.."

[Philulhu]

The man frowned, and nudged the can a bit further behind his legs. ”I’m Nashoba, but I don’t need no white help.”

”Help us learn about ‘civilisation’. Help us learn about your God, who smites the unworthy,” he said dismissively. ”More like help yourselves to our lands! Help us bury our sons and daughters who died of typhus! Help yourselves to our cattle, that you slaughtered to extinction!” He made his point firmly, but matter of factly.

”I think we’ve had all the help we need.”