[IC Chap 1 - The Alameda Kono All Star Team]

[Basketvector]

"That's okay shit-for-brains, I know who you are. You're one of Collin's goons from the old days, which means you know more than you let on.

"Do you still see it when you close your eyes? I do."
"Its looking at you too. Did you know that?"
Psychology 5% roll 87

Max unlocks the cabin and backs into the hall.
"See ya in the funny pages, Saint Nick"

"EDDIE! STOP FUCKING AROUND... ITS TIME TO GO!!!" Max rushes to his cabin, quickly as he can.

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie grabs David by the scruff of his collar and halts him close to the cabin door. He turns back to the crowd of frightened passengers.

It's Ok folks!! We got him! Everything is under control here! This man tried to poison my fat friend and I. Really!! Can you believe it? The staff delivered it and everything. We were both getting sick all over the place! Smells like a god damn mongoloid brothel in there. You know?? Those little bastards with the big heads?? Flat foreheads??

He pauses nervously for a moment and looks for the train employee who had originally escorted Max and Eddie to the gangster's cabin.

It was crazy!! I think I shit myself!!!

ooc - rolled an 84 to convince the passengers. Not sure what skill that would be but he most likely failed.

[coffee demon]

1:08 AM Saturday, June 28, 1937. California Zephyr en route to San Fransisco. Just outside Sacramento. ETA 3 AM Saturday June 29

"Do you still see it when you close your eyes? I do."

Nick seems to be pretty good at holding his composure, but when Max says this, the aging gangster sits up a little.

"Oh, shit. You really are crazy. I thought they'd just locked you up to keep you quiet."

...

In the hallway, the family and other passengers back away, ogling the gun in Max's hand, and press to the side of the hall to allow them room to pass.

David isn't making things easy, though. As Eddie pulls him past the passengers in the narrow hallway, he pleads with the other passengers, whispering,

"Please! Someone!"

Spoiler:

I'll need a Group Luck roll (meaning whoever has the worst luck needs to roll - that'll be Max with 51.) Otherwise someone in the crowd is going to play hero on your way back to your train car.

Eddie's failed roll means potentially negative consequences - remember that Eddie is vomit- and sweat-covered, probably poorly shaven and poorly dressed, talking about shitting himself, and holding a baseball bat up to a respectable-looking man with a briefcase... it looks bad.

[Basketvector]

Max pockets the 1911 and pushes past the family.
"Stay in your cabin folks, it ain't safe out here."

He moves quickly to the cabin and collects his papers into Jack's briefcase, and brings the bottle of poison too.
[oc. he hid it under the bench in a previous post]

A moment later he's back in the hallway heading toward the rear of the train.

[DSIGFUSS]

I've had had it with this screwball.

When he finally gets David into his room Eddie gets in real close, his breath heavy with the lack of whiskry bubbling up through his stomach and putting a super hurt on his innards.

What I say poindexter? He doesn't give David the chance to answer.

You do what I say and you can keep the case.

Eddie smashes David in the nose with the fat end of his Louisville Slugger and attempts to rip the case from his hands.

ooc, - rolled a 48 to smash David in the nose. and an 18 to grab case if required.

[Basketvector]

Max is standing in the hall outside their cabin.
Just grab it from him Eddie, we gotta haul ass!

[coffee demon]

1:08 AM Saturday, June 28, 1937. California Zephyr en route to San Fransisco. Just outside Sacramento. ETA 3 AM Saturday June 29

The family draws back as you pass. Others in the hallway stare openly as Eddie pulls David into their cabin (out of their sight) and Max stands outside the open door to their cabin.

The train shudders and you're forced to hold onto the wall for an instant, as the train decelerates more quickly. The lights of the city are rolling past the window now. You'll be pulling up to the station at any moment.

Spoiler:

Hand to Hand combat is an opposed roll. The defender can always choose to Dodge, Fight Back, or Maneouver. In this case, David is rolling to maneuver. He rolled an 18, which is a Regular Success. Since Eddie's Brawling skill is higher than Davids, he just needs to succeed on the roll to hit him. So Dan, roll to hit then roll 1D8 + 1d4 for damage if you succeed.

[DSIGFUSS]

ooc, Eddie rolled a 48 to hit David. rolled a 1 and a 4 for damage. 5 damage total.

With his Louisville Slugger under one arm, Eddie cracks David' in the nose with a quick jerk of the Bat. He scoops up the bookworm's briefcase as he pushes him further back into his cabin.

Yoink!

He whirls on Max and gives his old pal the two fingered salute. He bows slightly and presents Max the case.

Yes Mon Capitan!! Let's Scram!

Eddie picks up the pace sliding his lumber back into the sling under his arm.

He looks outside and grins nervously at the speed the train was travelling. He redirects his grin to Max and whistles through his teeth.

We jumpin' Fats? It''s gonna get messy at the Station. I'm pretty sure that family back there thinks I'm a rapist!

[Basketvector]

"On the button Knuckles! Them Japs won't know what hit 'em."

Max looks towards front of the train then back. He nods towards the caboose.
"That's our best bet. When the train slows down we jump."

Max pushes the briefcase back to Eddie (Max is already carrying Jack's old briefcase).
He draws the 1911 and moves quickly towards the rear of the train.

[coffee demon]

1:08 AM Saturday, June 28, 1937. California Zephyr en route to San Fransisco. Just outside Sacramento. ETA 3 AM Saturday June 29

David raises his arm to block Eddie's blow, and the full force of the bat drives into his ulna bone. He lets loose a shriek of pain.

As Eddie and Max bustle to the caboose, David can be heard yelling,

"THIEVES! HELP! HE BROKE MY ARM!"

Nick Gucci was leaning out of his cabin, wiping chunks of blood from his face and watching. As you move towards his cabin on the way to the caboose, he slams the door to his cabin. Everyone else has already rushed into nearby cabins, but some people can't help themselves and gawk through windows or partially-opened doors.

...

From the rear of the train (between the last car and the caboose), the jump wouldn''t be so bad if you weren't reeling from the poison coursing through your veins. You're not going fast. The risk is twisting an ankle, or not jumping out far enough and clipping the caboose and falling underneath. You'll be hitting gravel, but if you roll just right, it shouldn't be bad.

The train is moving through an area of wooden warehouses. There are no streetlights in this area. The desert night air is much colder than you would expect for June in California.

Spoiler:

Jumping from the train involves a Dex check. Failure means you take 1d4 damage. A Fumble (00 for Eddie, 96-00 for Max) means 1d8 damage, which could send Eddie to the hospital.

[coffee demon]

A bit of historical flavour - this would be laying around in Sacramento somewhere (if you get there):

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie follows Max to the caboose of the train and rests a shaky hand on the rail, looking somberly down at the tracks as they speed past him.

He pulls out his flask and takes a long overdue pull. The amber fluid burns his stomach and sends waves of nausea through his poisoned system. His neck cranes and strains like a snake trying to swallow an oversized hamster. Eddie pulls himself together.

You ready Fatman? It's just like falling off a bike!


Eddie grins his maniacal grin at Max , the insanity dripping from his eyes like cold spectral slime. He holds David's case tight to his chest and jumps.

ooc, - rolled a 25 - Dex check passes.

Eddie hits the tracks running. His long pitchers legs keeping pace with the backwards momentum of the rail ties. He comes to a quick sliding stop and turns to see if his friend made it safely off the train. He pictures a juicy sausage link bouncing wildly on a granite kitchen tabletop and winces at the thought.

[Basketvector]

"Holy shit. He made it."
Max prays the rosary.. the abbreviated form... and stows his gat.

He tries to let himself down carefully, crawling over the railings, descending backwards, searching for a foothold.
He tosses the briefcase first onto the shoulder, then reaches down with his foot.

He smacks the ground hard, like a side of pork, and careens into some bushes.

Debris settles.

[oc. rolled 84 and 2 for damage]

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie turns to watch Max jump. He's happy to see the Fatman simply take a hard bail into some bushes. It could have gone a lot worse and he didn't think he could carry the obese detective anywhere in his current cardio condition.

He jogs up behind the bush that Max ended his tumble in and picks up the briefcase along the way.

He holds out his hand to max to help him up, not wanting to see his partner wobble around like an overturned turtle to get to his feet.

Nice!!! Real Graceful! there Pudgy Markova!!

Eddie grins unable to hold in a genuinely healthy laugh.

Yuk Yuk Yuk!

What's our next move. Lets find a place to hole up. I'd like a chance to see what's in these bags. Poindexter was holding onta this one like it held the key to his cack!

[coffee demon]

1:09 AM Saturday, June 28, 1937. California Zephyr en route to San Fransisco. Just outside Sacramento. ETA 3 AM Saturday June 29

Max and Eddie are covered in dust and scrapes. Their scanty luggage (containing only cheap, well-worn clothes - nothing identifiable) is left behind. Max carries Jack's old briefcase - the briefcase of his once-partner and Eddie's brother. Eddie carries the briefcase of "David".

A few hundred yards down the track lies the Sacramento train station.

Two more hours away (by car), in the same direction, lies San Fransisco. The Pacific Ocean. The gateway to the Orient. Eddie's promise of a return to glory as a baseball player. And most of all, a chance at revenge against the man who ruined their lives and possibly threatens to do much more.

...

Judging from the modest skyline silhouetted in the distant glows of the orange sodium-halide street lights, Max and Eddie are a long walk from downtown. They're surrounded by dark wooden warehouses, factories, and a few shacks and poor-looking houses. Straw-dry grass crunches underfoot. The air is bone dry out here.

There is no doubt that the cops are on the way to the train station, if they're not already there.

Spoiler:

Welcome to the end of Chapter One. see the OC Thread, and post your rolls there before I post in Chapter Two.