[IC: Chapter 2: Bruised Knuckles in San Francisco]

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie taps his fingers on the wheel to some Big Band tune he can never the name of and seats the hook.

BOO DO DO DAP DAP DA DOODLE DEE DOO BAP BAP BAP! DA DOODLE DEE DO DO.... FUCK YOU DEE DO DO DO... FUCK ME DO DEE DEE...

Singing along to the classics , Eddie lights a cigarette and reaches into his inside jacket pocket for his flask. He holds the sterling silver bottle up to his lips and pauses. His hand shakes violently and he slowly lowers it to his lap. The silver shimmers in the light and Eddie suddenly can't remember putting it in his pocket. A tear forms in his eyes and drips quickly down his chin landing on the flask with an audible "tik".

Eddie closes his eyes, which begin to blur as they well up with tears. He wipes them off and shakes is head.

"No"

As his eyes clear the shape of his pearl baseball slowly replaces the flask. He hadn't packed the damn flask....

Jesus Joe... You better not say nothing bout this to fats. You just got your game back...

[coffeedemon]

8:55 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Palace Hotel

Max: "Nick, Carlos. Jesus, you ok? You sound rough. Listen I have that package for you, but we gotta do it now. Can you meet me outside the Palace? I'm in a Cabriolet."

"Carlos? You don't sound so great neither. An' no, I'm not okay. Have I got a story for you. I'll be down in five minutes. Oh. Carlos? Thanks for comin' through for me. I'll be right down."

Nick hangs up the phone.

...

The street in front of the Palace Hotel is fairly busy. Groups of people walk along the sidewalk, enjoying the summer weather. A cinema is on the next block, and people are flowing out from a film that just finished.

There is space for parking in front of the Hotel, and you manage to find a spot for the Convertible.


OC:

Spoiler:

How are you going to set this up? You have a couple minutes at the most. It is possible to put up the roof of the convertible.

[Basketvector]

Max saunters back over to the car.
"Eddie, he's coming down. We're gonna need some of that Ciccote charm."


oc. I think we might need to draw a map here. If possible, Max is going to want to hide out of view of Nick, inside a shop if necessary. He'll ask Eddie to move the car across the street so that Nick has to walk a distance away from the hotel. I assume the convertible roof is closed right now (or I'll ask Eddie to close it).

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie wipes his eyes clear of tears and sneezes audibly mumbling something about about the sanfransisco seals and all the God damn pollen in the Infield.

Back in the game, Eddie smiles wryly at Max and starts cranking the coverible's top to its up position.

No, problemo Fats. DUCKIES on the pond.

When he crosses the lot. I ll wave him over. Thats the signal. If he takes the bait. I ll get him close enough to the car so we can get him in.

Eddie winks at Max.

Under threat of violence and all that.....

Eddie throws the car in gear and looks over the wheel and away from his friend. He speaks in a low serious tone.

If he hesitates to get in.. You stick him Max. We're done clowning around with theses low life guinni bastards. You stick em and you throw him in the back seatv so we can have a word with old saint Nick.


Eddie moves the car to the furthest end of the lot without crossing the street. He parks in a vacant spot so the car is lined directly ahead of the main entrance so nick would not be able to see his face until he was close to the driver's side window. Even closer if he approaches from the passenger side.

[Basketvector]

Previously said:   If he hesitates to get in.. You stick him Max. We're done clowning around

Eddie seems lucid. For a moment, Max sees his old friend Jack. Good time for it too. With Jack's head and Eddie's arm, we got a chance.

"No Eddie, I need him alive. I have plans for this son of a bitch. We're going stay one step ahead of Beezelbub, and this is how we do it."
Max chances a furtive glance towards the Eastern sky.

[coffeedemon]

9:02 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Palace Hotel

A few minutes later, Nick emerges from the Palace Hotel. His nose is covered with a cast, which is taped to his cheeks. He's wearing a rumpled suit and walks slowly - clearly exhausted.

He looks left and right, down Market Street, and spots the Cabriolet down the road. He waves weakly, hoping you see him, and starts walking towards it.

[OC: Eddie didn't want to be across the street. Does this layout work? The Cabriolet is just across from a wide alley, and Max is in the alley. Dan, Do you want the car to be facing towards Nick, or away from him?]

[DSIGFUSS]

OOC - Away from Nick. If he has to be parked perpendicular to the direction Nick is walking hell light a cigarette so the car is haze with. Better even if he could light one of Max's stogies.

Eddie rolls down a window just a crack to flash a hand to waive Nick over and signal the Fatman to move in.

Come on Max. Let s roll this gangster fuck along.

[coffeedemon]

9:02 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Palace Hotel

Nick slouches along the road. He moves past the alleyway that Max is in. The sidewalks are wide and he's moving closer to the road, where the car is - so his closest point to Max is about ten feet. He closes on the passenger side of the Cabriolet, which is up against the curb. Eddie's side of the car is closer to the traffic.

Given his trajectory, he's likely to open or knock on the passenger side of the car.

A young couple walks past, arm in arm, laughing at an inside joke. Clots of people move along the sidewalks, and cars ease past lazily. Car windows are open, arms are hanging out, cigarettes between fingers. The city is relaxing into this beautiful summer evening.

[Basketvector]

Max will hang back until Nick opens the car door, then he'll move in behind him.
Max wont interfere unless Nick realizes the ruse. He's hoping that Nick will climb into the car.

[coffeedemon]

9:02 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Market Street near the Palace Hotel

Nick walks to the passenger-side door of the car. He leans over to peek inside the car, to confirm that it is Carlos' car.

Max is trailing behind.

Nick and Eddie make eye contact through the passenger side window.

Eddie sees that his baseball bat did a number on the old gangster, back in the train car about 24 hours ago. His face is heavily bruised and there are black circles under his eyes.

Nick's eyes go wide. He mouths something like "mutherfuck..."

It looks like he's going to step back from the car. But Eddie is faster.

[OC: Initiative in CoC is straight-up DEX, so it goes Eddie, Nick, Max. On your turn you can do one action. Eddie is up!]

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie meets nicks startled gaze with a friendly smile.

He leans over with his pistol leveled at nicks face and pushes the passenger door open with his Louisville slugger. Then Eddie turns the pistol and holds the gun out flat to his palm in a submissive gesture.

Easy mac!!! We just wanna talk! No moves here nick! Honest to Betsy! We need your help here.. we re desperate nick!

[coffeedemon]

9:02 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Market Street near the Palace Hotel

Nick has been in the game for a long time, and he knows a hit when he sees one.

As soon as he sees Eddie's gun, he ducks down and back, hoping that the front passenger seat and door will block a shot.

"FUCK!"

Keeping low, he starts running away down the street - away from the Palace Hotel. People stare and step out of the way.

There are 3-5 people in the near proximity.

OC: Eddie, we can assume you were holding your fire. If you want to shoot when he ducks (essentially Dodging you), then you can fire now. If you miss, you could hit Max or a bystander. Simultaneously, Max, you can do something. He doesn't know you're there and you can be within arm's length of him before he gets some distance from you.

[Basketvector]

"Salute Nick!"
Max grabs Nick by the scruff of the neck and smashes his head against the roof of the car.

Brawl (65%) 94.

[coffeedemon]

Market Street, San Francisco - 1937

[coffeedemon]

9:02 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Market Street near the Palace Hotel

Nick slides under Max's meaty hands, shoves away from you, and starts running down the street away from the Palace Hotel. He starts to shout...

Everything is happening quickly - people on the street are barely registering that something abnormal is happening at this point.

[OC: Eddie is up. If you want to give chase, he's got more of a lead on Eddie than Max, because Eddie is on the other side of the car. Max had his chance to stop Nick before it turned into a chase situation, and failed.

There may be other options too - just sayin', Nick has distance to move on his turn, which is next - and Eddie isn't in a position to stop him.]

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie grins even wider and reaches into the back seat for his mitt. His hand slides into his Rawling pitchers glove with the ease only a professional baseball player could manage. He kicks open his door and takes the mound.

No one steals second on old Knuckles Ciccotte Nick!

he shouts out to an imaginary crowd. And the crowd goes crazy as Eddie winds up for the fastball.

In 1920 major league pitchers could throw heat averaging close to 90 mph. A select few at the top could throw heat closer to 95. Eddie wasn't a select few sort of fella. Eddie was the best. He had to throw a game to lose in the hot seat and Eddie Chiccottte could throw gas closer to 101 mph


Duckies on the pond!

Eddie aims for the knee. The Beaner.... Old Nick might steal 2nd but he ain't winding for third with a bum knee. Hyuk Hyuk Hyuk !

[coffeedemon]

9:03 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Market Street near the Palace Hotel

[OC: Dan rolled 4 damage from the baseball, +1 damage bonus, which I rolled = 5 damage.]

The baseball hits Nick in the side of the kneecap.

Nick drops to the ground, screaming, holding his knee.

People on the sidewalk call out involuntarily.

"Hoo-lee!"

"I think it was that guy! Look!"

"Did he just throw a baseball at him?"

A younger man, on a date with his girlfriend, decides to play hero. He steps forward towards Eddie.

'Hey, pal! What the heck do you think you're doin'?"

Max is close to Nick. Eddie is a little further away, near the car. Nick seems to be in great pain, and isn't going anywhere fast.

[OC: Max is up next.]

[Basketvector]

Max nods in approval.

Previously said:   A younger man, on a date with his girlfriend, decides to play hero. He steps forward towards Eddie.

Max hurries over to that side of the car. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't mess with him kid. Instead you're gonna take this C bill here and show your lady a good time, see? Lookit, she's scared already."

Max stuffs a bill in the kid's blazer.
Max uses his substantial girth to separate Eddie from the kid.

fast talk (55%): 85

[coffeedemon]

9:04 PM Saturday, June 29, 1937. San Fransisco - Market Street near the Palace Hotel



The young man recoils from Max. "What th...?"

He reaches disgustedly into his pocket and pulls out the one hundred dollar bill. He stares at Max, incredulous.

"Wh.. thank you, mister!"

He retreats to his girlfriend, who is now part of a circle of 8-10 people who are watching the events unfold.

Nick (with his upper face masked in a bandage), drags himself away from Max and Eddie, and calls to the crowd in a hoarse voice,

"These fuckin' guys! They're gonna kill me! Call the cops!"

The crowd murmurs and takes another step back. The young man and his girlfriend confer quietly, and start moving quickly and quietly to the back of the crowd, in the direction of the Palace Hotel.

Further down the sidewalk, other people are starting to wonder what's going on.

[OC: We can leave initiative now - either of you can post!]

[DSIGFUSS]

Eddie winks at the crowd thinking they were there to see him pitch. He gives a thumb and forefinger saluted click to the spectater inquiring if that was a baseball.

He calls back.

Nope! That was a fastball!


Eddie continues with his loud banter as he makes way to Nick raising his hands in victory.

Ladies and gentlemen! Yes that was a baseball and no we aren't going to kill this scumbag... who has been dealing drugs and prostitution, to your children mind you, and often out of this very hotel. And for the very mob boss the police have failed to convict in this city. My associate and I have evidence to this fact collected here.

Eddie waves his baseball glove as he reaches down to bring nick to his feet by the scruff of his shirt

My name is Eddie chicotte. Pitcher for the Chicago white Sox and newly deputized agent of the law.

EDDIE pulls out his sparkly pearl Keychain as if that explained everything.

But don't you worry. I'm here with ace detective Max O'malley and we are on the case!!!