Play@YSDC

Whoever is behind the door tries to pull it shut against Kris's foot. He briefly sees what looks like the end of the barrel of an over and under shotgun in the doorway before there is a deafening blast and he is propelled backwards, out of the door, and into the far wall. He feels something spattering on his face and there is a cloud of dust obscuring his vision. His ears ring with a high pitched whine but he thinks he hears the door slam shut and then a female voice shouting from inside, 'If you try that again I'll blow your head off.'

His vision clearing, Kris sees that some of the door frame is splintered and a great chunk of plaster has been taken out of the ceiling, with dust and fragments scattering the carpet. The Do Not Disturb sign, which was hanging on the door handle, is now shredded and fluttering in the air.

He pat's himself down and feels his face but can't find any obvious injuries.

OOC,Kris is very lucky he didn't get a shotgun blast to the face!

Kris cursed himself for his foolishness. He’d assumed that Lang was on his own - he hadn’t considered Lindsay Peale would be in there or that she might have her shotgun with her!

He backed away from the door, checking if any of the guests were looking out of their rooms. If any were foolish enough to, he told them to get back in their rooms, lock the door and stay away until they got all the all clear. Pulling out his phone, he called control. When the call connected, he said, “This is DC Sapru. I’ve got shots fired at room 223 at the Royal Oxford Hotel. Can you send the ARV?”

The control room answers, 'Understood, ARV with PCs Grey and Babcock on the way, ETA in thirty minutes, secure the perimeter, I am dispatching additional officers to your location. Also calling an ambulance, are there any casualties?'

The few guests who poked their heads out of their rooms soon scurred back on Kris's instruction. The receptionist's head appeared round the corner of the corridor, 'He wasn't in, only his travelling companion Laura Jones. She said she didn't want to talk to you...What happened up here?'

”No casualties,” replied Kris to control. “Although an ambulance on standby would be a good idea...”

He retreated back down the corridor to where the receptionist waited. “She fired a shotgun at my face,” he said in response to the receptionist’s questioning look. “Fortunately, she missed!”

Ignoring the shocked looked on the receptionist’s face, Kris took a deep breath and thought for a moment. “My colleagues will be along shortly. I want you to send them up here when they arrive. We’ll evacuate the guests as soon as we can but if any of them ring reception and ask what to do, tell them to sit tight and stay away from the door until they’re told otherwise. Ok?” He pulled out his phone and quickly send a message to Jocelyn so she would know what was happening. ‘Lindsay Peale at Royal Oxford Hotel, Oxford. Armed standoff. Think she has the girl’.

He looked back down the corridor. “I’m going to try to have another word with her,’ he said, with a lot more confidence than he was actually feeling. He pulled out his Asp and quietly extended it. Keeping close to the wall he moved forward until he could reach the door with the tip of his baton and then tapped gently. “We know you took Regina to stop Balfour, Lindsay! What’s he trying to do?”

From inside the room Kris hears a mechanical crunching sound, like a break-open firearm being closed. 'That last one was a warning shot. If you don't piss off I'll shoot you through the wall.'

Kris stepped quickly to the side so he was clear of the part of the room that fronted onto the corridor. If Lindsay fired again, she’d have to shoot at an angle and the shot would have to go through two walls to get him. That was the theory, at least...

”I don’t trust Balfour any more than you do, Lindsay?” Kris called again. “What’s he up to? What’s the Passover Angel and how do we stop him?”

'You wouldn't believe me. You couldn't' she shouts through the door. 'Just stay away, keep away from us and no one has to get hurt.'

”Is it the plague?” Kris called back, trying to keep his voice even. “Is that why there’s all these bugs here and I’ve got this bloody rash on my arms?”

'The plague?' She laughs. 'You have no fucking idea.'

From down the corridor Kris hears a noise, a harsh, loud whisper. He sees a uniformed officer gesturing to him, 'What's going on?'

Kris glanced at the officer and held up a hand to tell him to hold his position. He held up two fingers and pointed towards the hotel room door, to indicate there were two people inside, followed by one finger and a mime of someone with a rifle to indicate one of those people was armed.

”Is it the Passover, Lindsay? The death of all the first-borns? Is that what Balfour’s planning?” persisted Kris.

The police officer gestures back to indicate that they have three officers onsite, including him. He mimes setting up a perimeter and backs away.

'I don't know what he's got planned but it's the end of the world he's after, end of the world, ha ha ha...' replies Lindsay, followed by a rather manic laugh that trails off.

OOC,Roll a Psychology to get a sense of her mental state

OOC, Nope! Kris can tell she’s under stress but that’s about it (48 vs 30) https://www.dholeshouse.org/Tools/DiceVerifier?RID=4eade119-54fa-4b60-9216-70ebbd14d0f4

Kris stopped and thought for a moment. ”What’s Regina got to do with it?” he asked. ”Can’t Balfour carry out his plan without her? Is that why you took her?”

All Kris can tell is that this woman is on edge, and afraid. 'Too right it's her psycho parents you have to worry about, not me...' shouts Lindsay, followed by loud, gasping crying. Then more quietly she whispers 'I've seen the fucking Passover Angel' and she goes silent.

Kris's mobile phone starts ringing.

Kris thumbed the volume button on his phone to turn the ringer down. ”What’s the Passover Angel?” he asked Lindsay, looking down at his phone to see who was calling him.

Kris looks at his phone, it is DS Bates calling.

From behind the door he can just about make out Lindsay muttering, 'What's the Passover Angel?' and laughing strangely, 'What is the Passover Angel? Where is the Passover Angel?...sees me...looking at me...always watching...'

Kris killed the call and quickly texted ‘Can’t speak. Talking to Lindsay Peale.’

“How do we stop it, Lindsay?” he asked as he texted. “We can’t just let Balfour bring about the end of the world!”

Very quietly Lindsay replies, 'Just go, and leave Regina with me. She'll be safest with me...'

-----

Kris hears voices from down the corridor. He looks up to see two armed police officers carrying semi-automatic MP5 submachine guns and wearing bullet proof vests. They are Constable Ollie Grey and Constable James Babcock. PC Grey gives Kris a smile, 'Small world Kris, you're not even supposed to be on the Balfour case. Back up now and leave it to the big boys' he says in a loud voice.