Play@YSDC

Posted: **Mon Mar 11, 2019 4:15 am**

Foreign Office, King Charles Street- London, England
8:30 AM - Monday, September 9, 1940

Archie, Phyllis, Benjamin, and Maggie were speaking to one of two soldiers guarding the entrance to the Foreign Office on King Charles Street, not far from Whitehall, the seat of government. It was here that the United Kingdom handled foreign relations, which were more important now than ever. While the United States of America did not look likely to enter the war any time soon, its help was critical in helping Britain keep the Germans at bay. The agreement last week to provide the Royal Navy with fifty destroyers was only the most recent example.

Story, Elizabeth, Brook, and Charles arrived from one direction, while Eddie and Eugene approached from another. They were now close enough to hear the conversation.

"I'm afraid I don't know where His Lordship is, ma'am," the soldier told Phyllis. "He's usually in by now, but he hasn't arrived yet. Must be delayed by bomb damage. I'm sure if you wait he'll show up sooner or later."

Posted: **Mon Mar 11, 2019 10:26 am**

While pleased to catch up with everyone else, Eugene is worried by the news that Colville hasn't turned up for work.

"I hope they haven't got to him already... Does anyone know where he lives?"

Posted: **Mon Mar 11, 2019 7:48 pm**

"Oh goodness, he could be in terrible danger- if it's not too late already!" Phyllis is glad to see the others but the news is very grave. She looks at the soldier, "If Lord Colville is not here then you must send telephone his house immediately and if there's no answer, send a car and an ambulance round with some of us at least. The others can explain to your superiors. Please hurry!"

Posted: **Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:31 am**

"I don't think Kensington was hit last night," said the soldier, "but I'll have someone place the call just in case." He ducked inside.

Posted: **Tue Mar 12, 2019 11:38 am**

Charles turns to Eugene "He has a town house in Kensington, we have the address, if we can't get a car from here, a cab shouldn't be hard to find".

Posted: **Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:10 pm**

"Oh dear, oh dear! What a ta-do." Phyllis wrings her hands. "I do hope they answer, otherwise... And that means Dr Jerkins is in grave danger too. We did warn her and she knows to stay in the light but...
Oh, we met her patient at the sanitorium this morning; he's the only survivor from the home guard sent to investigate Catherine Exeter and that animal last night. The poor man has gone doolally with the shock of it all. Mrs Duncan, Mr Klein and I came here to try and get access to the report. With little hope, I might add."

Posted: **Tue Mar 12, 2019 2:57 pm**

"Actually we spoke to Dr. Jenkins too and also warned her, so we can only hope she's prepared. She also told us about that poor Home Guard chap."

Eugene sighs.

"The results of the raid have been classified top secret - we couldn't get a lot of information from the local police station, but we did gather that it went very badly, with that chap being the only survivor. If those men went through what I went through, then no wonder. The authorities have sealed the area, so at least they're taking this seriously."

"The only other thing we've managed to do is get ourselves a flare gun from Eddie's HQ, so at least we've got something to defend ourselves with if our torch batteries run out."

"So what now? Shall we wait until someone gets through to Colville or go to Kensington ourselves before it's too late?

Posted: **Wed Mar 13, 2019 2:30 am**

Posted: **Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:34 am**

Posted: **Wed Mar 13, 2019 8:06 am**

Charles looks around for a taxi.

Posted: **Wed Mar 13, 2019 7:48 pm**

"Well as you know the address, we don't need to wait for the military." Says Phyllis, "Bit I'll just tell the guard we will find Lord Colville ourselves." She walks up to the other soldier and gives him her message before returning to the group. "Can you hurry with that taxi, young man?"

Posted: **Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:41 am**

Story looks around at the group preparing to go to Kensington and says, "What if he's on his way here now? Valuable time would be wasted, we should at least wait a moment and find out if they can reach him."

Posted: **Thu Mar 14, 2019 2:41 am**

With most of the young men called up into the military, and with rationing of petrol, there were few cabs operating in London these days. There hadn't been time to train women with the Knowledge of London they would need to be cabbies. However, this being the Foreign Office, there was a black cab idling outside, but one thing was clear: they would never all fit inside it. The only vehicle large enough to carry all of them would be a bus.

Posted: **Thu Mar 14, 2019 8:22 am**

Charles thinks for a second. "I know the location, and we'll need those who are capable in a fight, if needed, so Mr Lawlor, Mr...errr Story... " he looked around a bit, despairing of the seeming physical ineptitude of those around him. "...Mr Thompson, and Mrs Cruckshank. I think between the five of us it should be enough to get started, the rest of you, Westminster station is..."
"... just around the corner, across from Big Ben, the Circle, and District lines heading west will take you to Kensington, then just ask directions to 61 Victoria Road. " He looked to the others "Unless anyone's got a better idea?"

Posted: **Thu Mar 14, 2019 10:20 am**

"There's also my car. I should have just enough petrol in the tank."

Posted: **Thu Mar 14, 2019 7:48 pm**

"Bless you, dear, I'm well past sixty; far too old for a fight!" Exclaims Phyllis, although the way she handles her vast and heavy handbag could just prove otherwise.

"You young ones take the taxi and we oldies will shift for ourselves; we'll wait for the phone call and then try to get there somehow as soon as we can."

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 3:18 am**

Just then, the soldier returned. "I just spoke to the butler," he said. "His Lordship went out last night and hasn't returned home. Must have spent the night in a shelter somewhere, is my guess."

With Eugene's car and the taxi, everyone would be able to fit.

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 9:28 am**

"But where should we go looking for him? We can't just randomly check all the shelters? Or do we hope he has come back home in the meanwhile?" Benjamin says.

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:28 am**

"At least we know he hasn't been attacked at home, so if he has been attacked, it must've been during the night, after Brook rescued me from the Steadmans."

"What was his last known location - the church? It'd help if we could work out his movements since then. Did he frequent a gentleman's club for example?"

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 11:44 am**

"I suggest we still go to his house - perhaps his butler has an idea of where he might go, or which clubs he frequents most often? pipes up Charles.

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 7:49 pm**

Phyllis says to the soldier, "Thank you, young man. If he should arrive here after all please tell him 'The people from the church are urgently trying to find him; we'll be back at the church later.' " Phyllis looks at the others, "Anything else? Otherwise let's hurry to his Lordship's."

Posted: **Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:33 pm**

"I can't think of anything else missus. Let's get a move on."

Posted: **Sun Mar 17, 2019 2:22 am**

“I hope he’s ok ...” says Elizabeth. “Yes let’s see if the butler can help us find him.”

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2019 4:08 am**

"Will do, ma'am," the soldier said to Phyllis.

Everyone got in either the cab or Eugene's car, and both vehicles conveyed them to 61 Victoria Road in Kensington.

Lord Rufus Colville's house was a two-story mansion. There was no sign of bomb damage in the area.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2019 10:46 am**

Charles heads to the front door, and rings the bell.

Posted: **Wed Mar 20, 2019 12:03 pm**

Ever the salesman, Eugene avoids the front door, and walks around the back of the house to enquire at the tradesman's entrance.

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2019 2:40 am**

As Eugene started to walk around the house, the front door was answered by a tall, bald man in his sixties. By his dress and comportment, he had to be the butler. "Good morning, sir," he said to Charles. "How may I help you?"

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2019 9:32 am**

Charles responds.. "Good morning, my name is Charles Davis, I made acquaintance with his Lordship yesterday afternoon at St James' Church, and we were discussing a very important matter relating to his... ahh... work. We were supposed to meet at the Foreign Office this morning, but his Lordship hasn't been seen there. Would he happen to be here now, or would you know of his possible whereabouts?"

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2019 7:29 pm**

Phyllis admires the garden from where she is standing by the car.

Posted: **Thu Mar 21, 2019 11:52 pm**

Story takes note of Phyllis' interest in the garden and says, "In dark times it's good to remind ourselves of the beautiful things that still exists."

Posted: **Fri Mar 22, 2019 4:39 am**

Eugene reached the back door and knocked. Shortly afterwards, a pretty maid with brown hair opened it. "Good morning, sir," she said. "How may I help you?"

The garden was a victory garden. There were plenty of vegetables being grown here to supplement rationed food.

"I'm afraid his Lordship is not at home," the butler said to Charles. "He went out last night and has not returned."

Posted: **Fri Mar 22, 2019 8:08 am**

"Please, try to remember, it could be of utmost importance to National security!"

Posted: **Fri Mar 22, 2019 12:26 pm**

Eugene raises his hat to the young girl and slips into his best salesman patter .

"Good morning miss, lovely day isn't it? Is the master of the house in?"

Assuming she answers in the negative, he will try to find out about his evening/nighttime haunts.

Posted: **Fri Mar 22, 2019 3:18 pm**

Phyllis bustles up to the front door, "You have a fabulous garden here; such an asparagus patch and a knot garden too; a lot of hard work though, I'll be bound!"

She holds the butler with a beady eye. "Now, I know we are just a parcel of strangers to you but we spent all the other night with his Lordship and since then we have been haring around London on this mission that he has roped us into.

Do you think us old folk would be doing this if it wasn't important. And now we are very worried that he didn't come home because that means the mission has caught up with him and he could be in terrible danger. I'm sure he wouldn't mind us telling you all the details to convince you but time is of the essence, as they say, and if there is anyway we can quickly trace his steps last night then we might be able to save him. Melodramatic you may exclaim but it's true."

Phyllis folds her arms across her ample bosom.

Posted: **Sat Mar 23, 2019 3:54 am**

The butler had been hesitant to say anything to Charles, but he instantly warmed to Phyllis. "I hadn't wanted to say anything, out of respect for his Lordship's privacy," he began. "You must understand that in my line of work confidentiality is paramount, but I am starting to become worried myself. He hasn't returned home, and he hasn't gone in to work. I trust that you will keep this under your hat, ma'am. Last night, there was a telephone call from a gentleman around nine o'clock. I answered the phone, and the man asked for His Lordship. He wouldn't give his name, but he said he had information about a woman named Nell Murrow. He said that he should meet him at an address in East London, and he hung up after giving the address. When I informed His Lordship, he rushed out. I tried to tell him that it was dangerous, but he wouldn't listen. Not only the bombs, but that fellow is not to be trusted. At best, he's a blackmailer." The butler gave her the address, which was unfamiliar. "I do hope no harm has befallen him."

At the back door, the maid glanced from side to side as if afraid of being overheard, then lowered her voice. "Oh, you know about that, do you?" she said to Eugene. "Both the past two nights, he's been out and about. Two nights ago he didn't return at all until morning. Then last night he runs out and doesn't come back at all. If you ask me, I think he went to see a lady."

Posted: **Sat Mar 23, 2019 9:13 am**

Eugene thanks the maid and returns to the others, telling them what little he's learned.

Posted: **Mon Mar 25, 2019 7:53 pm**

"Oh lord!" Exclaims Phyllis. "Nell Murrows! The poor woman who was murdered. Thank you ever so much; this is directly related to what we are working on. We should go to this address and try to track his Lordship down. We can send a message as soon as we have news. I too hope he is safe." She turns to the others, "This is the address, I've never heard of it myself."

Posted: **Mon Mar 25, 2019 8:26 pm**

Eugene wracks his brains, trying to recall whether he knows the address from the many years he has spent tramping the streets of London as a door-to-door salesman.

Posted: **Tue Mar 26, 2019 1:19 am**

"Thank you, ma'am," said the butler. "Please do keep me informed."

Posted: **Tue Mar 26, 2019 10:48 am**

Recalling the address, Eugene groans.

"I know of the place or thereabouts - it's near the warehouse where the Steadmans and that thing attacked me. I'm not sure if it's been sealed off alongside it though."

Posted: **Tue Mar 26, 2019 7:52 pm**

"Oh dear, that doesn't bode well! I suppose it must be safer in the daytime, do you think? If we don't go anywhere dark maybe?" Phyllis says with concern.

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2019 9:54 am**

"We either go tomorrow, giving us a full day's light, or straight away, hopefully before it's too late. I vote we go now - we've got torches and the like to protect us if need be."

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2019 10:35 am**

I agree" Says Charles "If these people are as murderous as they appear, then tomorrow, or even tonight could be too late for Lord Colville".

"Would it be worthwhile asking if Lord Colville had any firearms here in the house, if we could persuade the staff his life is in danger, maybe they would lend them to us? "

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2019 11:09 am**

"I agree we should go now, even if it could be more dangerous," Benjamin says with a quiver in his voice. "We need to do everything we can to rescue Lord Colville."

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2019 1:57 pm**

"I'll start the car. I'm not sure guns will have much of an effect on the creature, but if you want to ask the staff, I'll wait."

Posted: **Wed Mar 27, 2019 7:48 pm**

"I have my umbrella and my lantern, that will do me thank you very much. Let's hurry!" Phyllis levers her ample self back into the car. "Come on Maggie!" She calls to the other old lady.

Posted: **Thu Mar 28, 2019 7:44 am**

"Maybe not the creature Mr Thomson, but I have my doubts those that are in league with it are bullet proof" replies Charles, trying to sound a little braver than he felt.

Charles turns back to the butler "Sorry for getting a little over zealous earlier" he starts, trying to make up for his rather poor attempt to convince the man of the situation before "but we truly do believe his Lordship is in mortal danger. Does Lord Colville perchance have any armaments in the house for any... ah.. untoward situations that require a show of force that we could use?"

Sorry, I buggered up the spoiler things, and trying to paste the result back into the spoiler led to some weird things happening. The original roll was 55.
[dice]0[/dice]

Posted: **Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:24 pm**

“Yes we’re really concerned about him,” says Elizabeth, going up and standing next to Charles.

Posted: **Thu Mar 28, 2019 6:50 pm**

Maggie returned to the car and eased herself into the back seat next to Phyllis.

"Most of His Lordship's guns are at his country house," said the butler. "There's not much call for shooting in London. Still, he does keep one rifle here, just in case. One never knows when German parachutists are going to drop in uninvited. Wait here, I'll go fetch it." He closed the door and returned a minute later with a bolt-action rifle, which he handed to Charles. "I've taken the liberty of loading it for you, sir."

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:01 pm**

Charles looks around at the group "Is anyone er..um.. skilled with this?"

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2019 3:36 pm**

Eddie steps forward. "I've seen more than my fair share of these during the Great War. Hopefully my aim is still as good as back then."

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2019 5:20 pm**

"Thanks Eddie, let's hope we don't have to use it. Remember everyone, the Steadmans can do magic. It sounds barmy, but I've got first-hand experience of it. We need to surprise them if we can, otherwise they'll use their jewel thing on us and we'll be done for."

Posted: **Fri Mar 29, 2019 6:02 pm**

"Right then, let's go if we're all ready?" Charles tries to put on a brave face, and hopes the taxi is still there...

Posted: **Sat Mar 30, 2019 4:24 am**

The cabbie had waited for them as instructed, the promise of another fare plenty of incentive to keep him there. Like all London cab drivers, he had no trouble finding the address. Eugene followed in his own car. Everyone arrived at the location at around 10:00.

The address was on a residential block near the warehouse district. The poor lived here, the houses squished together in a row. That is, except for the gap where one of them had been bombed to smithereens. As it happened, the bombed-out house was in fact the address they had been given.

Posted: **Sat Mar 30, 2019 10:51 am**

Eugene curses under his breath as he parks up his car.

"Oh no... I hope we're not too late..."

He springs out of the car and opens the passenger door for the ladies.

Posted: **Mon Apr 01, 2019 6:30 pm**

Phyllis climbs out, "Thank you." She says, "Was this house bombed last night do you think? We should be able to tell." She has a look at the remains from a safe distance. "Is anyone about?" She looks for street urchins or other local people. "It's a sad looking street and no mistake."

Posted: **Tue Apr 02, 2019 4:21 am**

The destruction looked recent. Given that the area had not yet been sealed off, it was more likely to have been bombed last night rather than the night before.

Posted: **Tue Apr 02, 2019 7:23 pm**

"It does look like it might be last nights'. Oh dear, this is going from bad to worse. Should we try calling? He might be trapped." Phyllis asks the others as they peer at the wreckage.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:52 am**

“The Steadmans might still be around,” says Elizabeth to Phyllis. “I think we should be cautious until we’re sure it’s safe.” She looks around where they are, trying to see if there are any other clues.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:18 am**

The area looked completely deserted. There was no help to be had here, but also no opposition. The wreckage was a tangled mess, and not much could be seen without venturing into it.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:46 am**

Charles, not being the most physically capable of people, looks for a way to get around to the back of the house, without having to go through the wreckage.
...and if even that didn't work, he goes to knock on the neighbouring house doors to see if he could go through them to try to get there via the gardens/back yards/whatever.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:48 am**

"Let's get this over and done with..."

Despite all his instincts telling him not to, Eugene grits his teeth and enters the ruined building.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 12:01 pm**

Benjamin looks around from the relative safety of the outside of the building to see if he can spot anything out of the ordinary.

Spoiler:

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:01 pm**

"He might be trapped in there ..." says Elizabeth. "I'm going to try to look too." She heads into the wreckage, carefully.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 3:46 pm**

Eddie decides to survey the area from a safe distance.

Posted: **Wed Apr 03, 2019 6:52 pm**

"I'm not sure that's a very good idea." Phyllis says as Eugene and Elizabeth head into the building, "Oh, do be careful!" She watches their retreating backs. "Come on Maggie, let's do what we do best and knock on the other doors in the street. You could perhaps start at the other end of the row." She suggests to the others still dithering outside.

And with that she marches up to the door to the left of the ruin and raps sharply on the knocker. "Of course, they may still be out in their shelter out the back. That might be worth checking out too."

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 2:29 am**

Charles went to the end of the block, which wasn't far, and made his way into the alleyway behind the row of houses. That too looked deserted, with a few small gardens and Anderson shelters. The shelter behind the bombed house had been hit by shrapnel from the blast, but it had done its job and survived intact.

Phyllis and Maggie began knocking on doors, but there was no answer. It being midmorning on a Monday, adults would probably be at work and children in school. Unless they skipped school, but if they did, it surely wasn't to hang around at home all day.

Eugene and Elizabeth ventured into the ruined house, climbing over the rubble. Eugene's foot plunged through a fallen slab of wood, and he twisted his ankle, which prevented him from seeing what Elizabeth had noticed. A hand was sticking out of a pile of debris, and she recognized the signet ring on it as belonging to Lord Rufus Colville. Even Eddie, who hadn't entered the house, was able to see it from where he stood.

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 8:36 am**

"Argh, my foot!"

Eugene lets out a startled cry as he stumbles through the wreckage. After a taking an embarrassed moment to collect himself, he extricates his leg from the rubble, wincing as he puts weight on it.

"Um, sorry about that. I think I'll hold up though - I've been through worse recentl-" He stops, noticing that Elizabeth is staring at something. "Hey, what's that you've found? Oh, is it...?"

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 12:18 pm**

Eddie peered inside the building, when he spotted the hand. "Oh bloody 'ell... There's no bloody way... Miss! Is he still alive? We'll need to get him out!" He hoped Lord Corville had managed by some improbable chance to cling to life.

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:39 pm**

“It’s his ring, we need to check if he’s alive,” says Elizabeth. She reaches out to check the hand to see if it feels warm, or if she can detect any sign of a pulse.

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:14 pm**

"There's little chance of finding an ambulance round here." Says Phyllis as she bustles up having heard the cry. "He'd do best in the car and straight to hospital. If he's still alive. Goodness, what an unlucky shot."

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 7:18 pm**

Eugene agrees wholeheartedly and does what he can to help the others dig out the poor man.

Posted: **Thu Apr 04, 2019 8:22 pm**

Charles heads back to the others to relay the information about the shelter. "Well, things are pretty beaten up back there, but the shelter is still intact.." he stops in shock at seeing the commotion around the buried man, and tries to assist in any way he can, most likely by digging in his backpack for his first aid kit, hoping its limited contents could help in some way.

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 2:52 am**

Elizabeth could feel that Lord Rufus's hand was cold. Any hope that he was still alive was a vain one. With her help, however, Eugene was able to dig out the body, which was horribly mangled and cut. Elizabeth and Eddie recognized the injuries. They had seen similar ones on the body of Nell Murrow. Lord Rufus had not been killed in a bomb blast, but by the same creature that had killed her - or, a frightening thought, a second one much like it.

Charles retrieved his first aid kit. While he could tell from the others' expressions that it was too late for Lord Rufus, it would still be useful for Eugene's injury once he climbed out of the wreckage. Going in there was liable to result in two people requiring first aid.

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 8:07 am**

Seeing the commotion ongoing in the distance, Benjamin quickly puts two and two together. He feels something rising from within his stomach, but he quickly turns around and takes a few deep breaths to steady himself...

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 9:04 am**

"Oh no... Oh nononono...

Eugene backs away from the mangled corpse, his already delicate mind strained by the grisly sight.

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 3:41 pm**

"These bastards will pay for this." Eddie barely manages to maintain his focus at the all too familiar sight. "We've gotta get the police."

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:48 pm**

Posted: **Fri Apr 05, 2019 7:50 pm**

Elizabeth recoils in horror. “I’m sorry, he’s dead, we’re too late.” She shivers in shock. “The injuries are the same as I saw on Nell Murrow. He was killed by one of those creatures. Oh god ...”

Posted: **Sat Apr 06, 2019 7:06 pm**

"Oh we are too late!" Phyllis wrings her hands. She can't see poor Lord Rufus what with the other people and the ruins in the way but she hears the word 'police'. "Shall we go and find a policeman? Maggie and maybe Mr Klein, we could go together?" She's rather loathe to set out by herself as the Steadmans might be around.

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 4:08 am**

A woman in an air raid warden's uniform walked down the street, and as she got closer, Eddie and the others who had met her recognized her as Melissa. "What's wrong?" she asked, seeing their expressions as they looked at the ruins. "Was someone killed in the bombing?"

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 2:53 pm**

"Sadly, this time it's Lord Rufus Colville, but it wasn't the bomb that got him. He's been killed the same way as the woman from yesterday."

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:32 pm**

Melissa gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. She noticed Elizabeth and Eugene poking about in the ruins. "You should come out of there, it's not safe!"

Posted: **Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:56 pm**

Eugene nods dumbly and begins to scramble out of the debris. Thankfully he remembers his manners and offers his arm to Elizabeth.

Posted: **Mon Apr 08, 2019 7:03 pm**

"Is there a blanket in the car to cover the body?" Phyllis sticks her head in to have a look. "I suppose we must let the Foreign Office and his Lordship's butler know what's happened." She calls over to Eugene and Elizabeth, "I don't suppose there's any sign of the Steadmans? Whose house was this then?"

Posted: **Mon Apr 08, 2019 8:52 pm**

"Thank you," says Elizabeth gratefully to Eugene, as she makes her way out of the bombed building. "No, no signs of the Steadmans," says Elizabeth to Phyllis. "Just Lord Rufus ..." she says, her voice trailing off sadly.

Posted: **Tue Apr 09, 2019 3:12 am**

Elizabeth and Eugene clambered out of the bombed out house, though it was clear that she was supporting him rather than the other way around due to his ankle injury. There was indeed a blanket in Eugene's car.

"I'll take it from here," said Melissa.

Posted: **Tue Apr 09, 2019 9:15 am**

Eugene awkwardly eases himself into the driver's seat of his car and massages his ankle.
"OW! Bloody hell!"

Somehow he manages to make the pain worse.

Posted: **Tue Apr 09, 2019 6:39 pm**

Phyllis looks dolefully at Eugene, "I'm so sorry, the WI are due to run a first aid course next week. So until then, Maggie and I have no particular skills. I'm a fair hand at trussing a chicken and will have a look at your ankle if you are desperate though."
She turns to Melissa, "what are you going to do? And with your expertise in bombed ruins, would you say Lord Rufus was attacked before or after the house was hit?"

Posted: **Tue Apr 09, 2019 8:47 pm**

Charles sighs seeing Eugene essentially trying to punch his ankle back into health. "Come on son, put it up on the seat and I'll take a look at it..."
"... there we go, should be fine in the morning." Charles breathes a sigh of relief, thanking his lucky stars that he had the first aid kit on him, and thinking, in passing, that people and machines aren't really so different to fix after all.

Posted: **Wed Apr 10, 2019 2:40 am**

Eugene's ankle felt much better when Charles was done with it. He would be able to walk without too much trouble now. If only his mind could be so easily mended.

"I may be an expert in ruined buildings," said Melissa, "but I couldn't determine when he died. That will be up to the coroner to figure out the time of death. Normally, nobody would ever check. Any dead body like that found in a bombed out house would just be assumed to have died in the bombing. It never would have occurred to me before that someone could have placed him there after the fact to make it look like that. I guess I need to read more Agatha Christie. I can tell you that this house was bombed last night., but not the exact time. If it had been the night before, I'd have already noticed it yesterday, as it's on my patrol route. What I'll do is cordon off the house first and call for an ambulance to collect the deceased. I'll make sure the coroner knows about your suspicions."

Posted: **Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:50 am**

Eugene flexes his ankle which, while still sore, can at least take his weight now.

"Thanks Charles, that's really done the trick."

Listening to Phyllis' and Melissa's conversation, he frowns.

"Let's hope the coroner can make some sense out of this. I reckon the Steadmans have gone to ground. Either they've found a new lair or they've gone back to the warehouse - I doubt a Home Guard cordon would stop them for long. I can't say that I'm keen to follow up that possibility, but regardless they could have left a trail or something."

Posted: **Wed Apr 10, 2019 7:11 pm**

"Could we go to the warehouse? Or do you think it would be too dangerous even in daytime?" Asks Phyllis. "If the Steadmans have used the beast to kill His Lordship then the next person they might attack is Anna at the sanitarium. She knows she's in danger but I'm not sure she really believes it."

Posted: **Wed Apr 10, 2019 11:49 pm**

Hearing of Lord Corville's demise, Story shakes his head while saying, "If we can get to Anna before the beast comes for her, we stand a chance at stopping it. Assuming of course that she's next on the list."

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 4:20 am**

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 7:19 am**

Charles sighs, feeling that he's getting too old for all this rushing about across London. "Let's get moving then everyone, off to the... um.. where exactly are we going now? "

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 9:03 am**

"That's a good point - Anna is sure to be next on the list. To the sanitarium then?"

Posted: **Thu Apr 11, 2019 6:51 pm**

"I think so, we should get there as soon as we can. We must find Anna before nightfall; let's hope she is still there and hasn't wandered off." Says Phyllis as she climbs into the car.

"We should get a message to Lord Colville's house and the Foreign Office though. Are we leaving the body with this young warden then?"

Posted: **Fri Apr 12, 2019 12:27 am**

Story nods in agreement at the suggestion of heading to the sanitarium. Then having found himself with words to say once more, he says to Phyllis, "I'm sure the young warden can handle things. We should be off." He runs his hand through his hair and exhales. A part of him is hoping for an encounter with the beast, though the other half is dreading the opportunity. Before popping back into a car he looks around for Elizabeth and Brook to insure they've heard about the plans.

Posted: **Fri Apr 12, 2019 3:21 am**

"Thank you," said Melissa, "but I'm not as young as I look." She appeared to be about forty, though to Phyllis that was young. And to Story, who was much older than he seemed, so was Phyllis.

Posted: **Sat Apr 13, 2019 4:15 pm**

Elizabeth smiles as she sees Story looking over. “Coming!” she calls to him, feeling relieved to leave this place.

Posted: **Sat Apr 13, 2019 9:41 pm**

Mr. Handy wrote:
OOC,Does everyone want to go to the sanitarium? It's currently about 10:15 AM.

Posted: **Sun Apr 14, 2019 4:04 am**

OOC: To the sanitarium for Benjamin it is. Looking forward to get one step ahead of our opponent!

Posted: **Sun Apr 14, 2019 3:10 pm**

OOC: Eddie will also go to the sanitarium.

Posted: **Sun Apr 14, 2019 6:33 pm**

I

Posted: **Sun Apr 14, 2019 8:06 pm**

Everyone piled into Eugene's car and the taxicab and drove to Maxwell's Sanitarium, arriving at around half past ten. The receptionist greeted them and call upstairs to Anna on the telephone, and she soon came down the the lobby to greet them. "Good morning," she said.

"What's up, Doc?" said Brook. She glanced at Elizabeth. "Bugs Bunny is a thing by now, right?"

"Back so soon?" Anna asked Phyllis, Maggie, and Benjamin. "I'm afraid the sergeant is still sleeping it off. His condition is unchanged."

Posted: **Mon Apr 15, 2019 11:57 am**

"We're more worried about you miss. It's as we feared - Lord Colville has been killed, just like that poor girl. I'm afraid you must be next on the list, so we decided to come here and prepare for the attack as best we can."

Posted: **Mon Apr 15, 2019 6:40 pm**

"Oh yes, Anna, if they can kill Lord Colville as easily as that then you really are in terrible danger." Phyllis lowers her voice, "It was the beast again, you know."

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 4:39 am**

Anna goes pale. "Well, the beast can only come out at night, right?" she asks. "I'll be safe enough until then, at least. I can't leave until my shift is done. I've patients to care for. But what can we do?"

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:35 am**

"It's not that we want to use you as bait or anything, but I really think we should take this opportunity to use all that we've learned so far and try and banish the creature," Benjamin says. "We should prepare as well as possible for tonight in order to maximise our chances!"

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:26 am**

Despite the thought of facing the creature again, Eugene agrees.

"What time do you finish your shift Anna? Will it still be light? We have to get you away from your patients before dark, but somewhere that gives us a tactical advantage - God knows we'll need it..."

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 12:21 pm**

Charles wonders out loud...

"So, what we need is to know is the location of a decently defendable, but relatively open place here at the Asylum. As for the beast, does it appear alone, or does it need a handler? Are the Steadmans likely to be with it, and if so do we need to keep a look out for them, or could they already be here?"

Posted: **Tue Apr 16, 2019 1:19 pm**

"The Steadmans got me when Brook and I were in the warehouse."

Eugene shudders at the recollection of that night.

"They paralysed me with their witchcraft and then dragged me outside. It was then that they summoned the creature with the jewel in the box. They were nearby enough for me to charge at them, although it didn't do me any good..."

He trails off, the traumatic event being too painful to remember further. As the shadows in the corners of the lobby begin to grow and blacken, he hugs himself and stares up at the nearest lightbulb for comfort.

"So I suppose they need a reasonable area of space to perform their magic and call forth the thing in the jewel."

Posted: **Wed Apr 17, 2019 4:20 am**

"My shift ends at five," said Anna, "and there will still be some daylight then. Of course, if there's an emergency, I may have to stay longer. Some of the patients aren't coping so well now the bombing's started. I don't know how well the sanitarium can be defended. It's designed to keep people in rather than out. It wouldn't be easy for intruders to break in, but I wouldn't expect it to keep out German parachutists, let alone a monster. Of course, from the descriptions I've heard of the creature, it's huge. It would never even fit through the door. I'd imagine they'd want to call it outside somewhere, and again only at night. Why do have to wait around for them to come after me, though? Isn't there some way we could take the fight to them? If we take away that jewel you mentioned, then they can't call their pet anymore, right?"

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 2:23 am**

Story looks at Eugene and asks, "A jewel you say? Not sure how I missed that detail earlier."

Before he can respond, Story looks at Anna and says, "We can, and will, stop the beast. Hopefully your patients will simply believe it to be a hallucination if any of them see it." He smiles.

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 3:25 am**

"I'll probably be safer just spending the night here," said Anna. "There's a shelter in the basement where I can stay in the event of an air raid."

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:07 am**

Eugene smiles nervously at Story.

"I'm sure I mentioned the jewel... probably... I'm a bit out of sorts at the moment..."

He sighs.

"The way I see it we have two choices: tracking down the Steadmans and fight them head-on, putting everyone here out of danger or setting up defences here while we have the luxury of time but risking more lives."

Posted: **Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:07 pm**

Elizabeth grins at Brook's Bugs Bunny comment, and smiles at the memory of the cartoon rabbit she's seen in shorts at the cinema.

"We can't risk more people," says Elizabeth. "We know what we're facing, but we can't put the patients and staff here deliberately at risk." She pauses, looking at Story and Eugene for a moment. "Do you think we could get hold of the jewel? Or would the Steadmans have it safe with them? That sounds at least like one possible plan."

Posted: **Fri Apr 19, 2019 10:09 am**

"I would imagine they keep it with them. The more I see the work going on here, the less I want to see the patients put at risk. I can't believe I'm saying this, but let's head to the warehouse and confront them.

Posted: **Fri Apr 19, 2019 10:27 am**

Benjamin says: "If we fail to stop them, either here or at the warehouse, it will all be for naught anyhow, and more people will keep on dying regardless. I'd say we try to confront the monster here, where we at least can prepare as much as possible..."

Posted: **Fri Apr 19, 2019 1:09 pm**

"We'd have to get past the Home Guard's watch, though. Still, The Steadmans have somehow managed to slip past them, and I'm thinking they might've moved somewhere else."

Posted: **Sat Apr 20, 2019 1:03 pm**

Charles mulls things over..."I'd be very careful of heading down to the shelter Miss Jenkins, if the Steadmans are hunting you, in the event of a raid that's the one guaranteed place they know you'd be, come to think of it, there's little to stop them setting off any local raid sirens in order to force you into the shelter, especially if they have abilities such as Mr Thomson suggests."

Posted: **Sat Apr 20, 2019 4:57 pm**

"I wouldn't be alone in the shelter," said Anna. "All of the staff and patients would be there too. I'd be among dozens of people."

Posted: **Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:48 pm**

"I doubt the Steadmans, or their pet would worry too much about those unfortunate enough to be between them and you, besides, this is the perfect place, who's going to believe a bunch of mental patients claiming to have seen a monster?"

Posted: **Sun Apr 21, 2019 1:44 am**

"Well, I could go to a Tube station after my shift," said Anna. "There will be lots of people there too, and nobody will know where to find me. I can just take the train to another station so I'm not at the nearest one."

Posted: **Mon Apr 22, 2019 1:29 am**

Story looks at Eugene and says, "You may have, but then again you may not have. I've been out of sorts since my companions and I arrived back in London." Looking off he says, "It's as if a heaviness weighs on me, like the journey is nearly complete." He glances at Elizabeth and Brook with a hint of worry before he shakes his head as if clearing his mind.

Looking back at Eugene, and then the others, he smiles and then says, "While the warehouse would be safe grounds, I agree with Charlies. We must be prepared to stop the Steadmans, as they certainly don't place a high value on the life of others. If we go to the warehouse we run the risk of putting lots of people in harms way if we're wrong and they come for Anna here... or even at the Tube. " Running his hand with what little hair he has, as he often does, he continues, "It's best to not leave her, as we know she's a target."

Posted: **Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:08 pm**

Phyllis has been rummaging around in her vast handbag. "Well, dears, it seems like a very good plan. I have two queries though. Firstly, do we need to fear the building collapsing around us like it seemed with Lord Colville and secondly, how does one actually banish such a creature? Won't it just come back next time someone has this jewel?"

Posted: **Mon Apr 22, 2019 9:44 pm**

Eugene nods wearily.

"If we don't destroy that jewel, the Steadmans will keep doing this again and again..."

Posted: **Tue Apr 23, 2019 2:25 am**

Turning to Phyllis, Story says, "Earlier while at the British Museum's vault I glanced at the De Vermis Mysteriis while Anna and Benjamin were looking at it." He pauses for a moment, smiles, and with a momentary flash of exuberance says, "I glanced quite deeply." Then returning to the subject he continues, "I'm quite confident that I can banish and summon the beast... the Jaegerschreck to be precise." Exhaling he says, "Though I confess, this jewel fascinates me I don't know why I didn't ask about it before. Perhaps because it was quietly filed away in my mind. Nonetheless it has bubbled back to the surface. I recall you saying the jewel paralyzed you somehow, is that correct?" He looks with a inquisitive eye at Eugene.

Posted: **Tue Apr 23, 2019 3:50 am**

"There's another consideration," said Anna. "Let's suppose we set up defenses and they decide I'm too well protected, and they just go after someone else. Innocent people are still at risk."

Posted: **Tue Apr 23, 2019 9:08 am**

Eugene answers Story as best he can - his memory of that terrible night hazy and disjointed.

"I... I think the jewel was used to conjure up the monster. They paralysed me by a simple wave of the hand."

Posted: **Wed Apr 24, 2019 6:41 pm**

Phyllis gives Story a hard stare, not sure whether to believe him or not.
"Well you know best, I'm sure." She sniffs.
"If I catch anyone waving their hands and trying to paralyse me, I'll give them what for!" And she grips her old iron umbrella with determination.

Posted: **Wed Apr 24, 2019 10:57 pm**

Looking at Phyllis, Story says, "It would be quite a wallop." He smiles, and then begins to strokes his chin and pondering what Eugene said in an attempt to recall if the De Vermis Mysteriis made any reference to the jewel.

Posted: **Thu Apr 25, 2019 5:17 am**

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 2:07 am**

"Eugene, now that I've considered it for a moment, which I must do. After all when you get to my age it takes a while to open all of the mind's file drawers." He smiles and resumes speaking, "I do believe I recall a reference to your jewel, forgive me for causing you to doubt your own memory. I believe it's called the Shining Trapezohedron, I I remember correctly." Scratches his head and continues, "Though that's about all I can recall. I'd have to return to the British Museum's vault in hopes of finding out more about it and the role it plays."

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 3:56 am**

"Could you go there quickly Story?" asks Elizabeth. "Is there time to find out more before tonight?"

Spoiler:

"As for the Steadmans' list, I know I'm on it too. And the Captain. I can't remember beyond that ..." she sighs. "Though of course they could decide to attack anyone."

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 4:04 am**

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 9:24 am**

Eugene smiles at Story.

"You're lucky - my drawers have been flung open and ransacked. I can drive you to the museum if you like."

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 10:11 am**

Charles looks a little perplexed with the sudden change of direction things seem to be going, the only books he's really used to being filled with numbers, and sales figures, but shrugs his shoulders, realising a working asylum isn't the easiest place to be during the day time. "Well, I suppose I'll come along too, there's probably not much we can do to prepare here at this time of day anyways."

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 7:08 pm**

"I'm afraid all this hustle and bustle is too much for my old bones. I'm going to take tea in that tea shop across the road and then rest in the visitors' room here for a bit ready for tonight." Says Phyllis. "I'm afraid reading books is beyond my eyes; far away and I'm as sharp as a nail but I have to wear my glasses just to read a shopping list."

Posted: **Fri Apr 26, 2019 8:09 pm**

"I wouldn't pass up on the chance to look at more books!" Benjamin says, "There's no such thing as too much knowledge!"

Posted: **Sat Apr 27, 2019 2:22 am**

"Either luck, or just too old. Nonetheless, thank you Eugene for the offer of a lift, I gladly accept." Story looks around to see who all is preparing to come along as he continues, "Perhaps with a group of us we will uncover the vital clue about the jewel."

Posted: **Sat Apr 27, 2019 3:50 am**

"Aye, I shall join you, Phyllis," said Maggie.

Posted: **Wed May 01, 2019 8:37 pm**

Posted: **Mon May 06, 2019 4:13 am**

Preparations
Deeper Mysteries

Play@YSDC

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