Play@YSDC

Maxwell's Sanitarium- London, England
11:15 AM - Monday, September 9, 1940

Phyllis and Maggie rejoined Anna at the sanitarium after a leisurely tea across the street. "What shall we do to prepare for tonight, dear?" asked Maggie.

"It's rather a difficult one isn't it, Maggie? I mean, it's not something we do everyday." Phyllis levers herself into a comfortable armchair near the reception whilst they wait for Anna to finish her shift.
"Assuming we are expecting the attack to occur here, I suppose we need to survey our defences or whatever it is they do in the military. We need to find a large room that the chaps can lure the beast in and then Mr Story can do his thing. I must say, it seems awfully dangerous."

"It certainly does," said Maggie.

"I don't like the idea of putting our patients and the rest of the staff at risk," said Anna. "The only room here big enough to hold something the size that I've heard the creature is is the basement, and that's been converted to an air raid shelter. If the Luftwaffe comes tonight - and why wouldn't they? - it'll be packed."

"No, we cannot jeopardise anyone else. They would be safe in the basement from air raids or beasts at least. Are there no attics in the building? Or maybe they could lure the beast into one of the padded cells. Oh I don't know, dears; I'd be a lot more confident if it was about knitting." Phyllis looks a bit glum. "
"Well Maggie and I can keep an eye out for you until then at least; if I was the Steadmans I'd be skulking around here to reconnoitre the sanitarium."

"It'll never fit in a padded cell," said Anna. "It has a wingspan the size of an airplane. It could only fit in a wide open space, and how would it even get inside? There is an attic, but again it'll never fit up the stairs or through a window. If Catherine Steadman shows her face around here, people will recognize her and she'll be recaptured, but she doesn't need to do that. She knows her way around well enough, having lived here for ten years."

"Oh my! And there I was thinking it was similar to a large dog, or maybe a tiger!" Phyllis looks confounded. "Well that Mr Story seems to know about it so well leave the baiting and capturing to him. Maggie and I will just to our best to look after you, Anna."
Phyllis folds her arms over her ample bosum; the essence of an indomitable old lady.

"Thank you," said Anna. "It means a lot to me that you'd go to such lengths to protect me."

The rest of the morning and the afternoon passed uneventfully, and it was teatime soon enough.

Phyllis sends a message up to Anna,
"Will you take tea with us over the road before the tea shop closes. They do a reasonable rarebit. I expect the others will be back soon after."

Anna came down from her rounds. "I'd be delighted to take tea with you," she said. The three ladies went outside and across the street to the tea shop.

OOC,[b]Phyllis[/b], please roll Spot Hidden.

Phyllis leads the way across the street, "I hope there's a table free in the window."

Spot hidden,(25%) [dice]0[/dice]

There was a free table near the window. Phyllis, Anna, and Maggie took a seat at the tea shop and placed their orders. While they waited to be served, Anna whispered to her companions: "Don't look now, but there's a woman sitting at a table nearby watching us. She's wearing a hat that's hiding much of her face, but I still recognize her. She's Madeline Steadman."

OOC,[b]Anna[/b]'s Spot Hidden roll (40% skill): [dice]0[/dice] [b]Maggie[/b]'s Spot Hidden roll (25% base skill): [dice]1[/dice]

"Oh well spotted, Anna. I'm afraid my eyes aren't what they used to be. And you say she is watching us? Well let's not let her know that we know! More tea cake, Maggie?" Phyllis twinkled. "I suppose we should just act normally but we ought to warn the others when they return; we should be able to see them from here. I suppose, if we really clever, we could lead her a merry dance. My guess is she wants to see where you end up tonight so they can set a trap." Phyllis says quietly to Anna.

"Yes, that's what I think," replied Anna softly. "Maybe we could turn the tables on them, and spring a trap of our own. I could act as bait, and we could trick them into thinking they can get me alone. Then, when they make their move, we make ours."

"Well then, we mustn't let her connect you to the others when they arrive. Us two old ladies are pretty harmless but all the young gentlemen and ladies all together might put her off. I think one of us should go out and flag them down and get them to arrive in small groups so not to raise the alarm. Can we smuggle them into the hospital somehow do you think?" Phyllis keeps watch out onto the hospital entrance.

"That's a good idea," said Anna. "The sanitarium does have other entrances besides the main one, and I could get them inside, but we don't want Madeline to see me doing it. The two of you wouldn't be able to go freely throughout the place. Security would be suspicious, and they'll be on heightened alert after Catherine's escape."

"I'm not letting you out of my sight, young lady." Says Phyllis sternly. "Maggie dear, would you mind awfully waiting for them outside the hospital and warning them to stay out of sight near by until Anna can come and smuggle them in. I'm sure they can't be too long now.

You can let us know where they will be. That way we can keep an eye on Lady Trouble for a bit. We'll stay here until closing time, unless it's one of those awful places that becomes a restaurant in the evenings." Phyllis looks at the menu for a clue.

Phyllis needn't have worried. This was a genuine tea shop that closed at six.

"Aye, I can do that," said Maggie. "Take care, both of you." She finished her tea, then left the shop and took up a position near the sanitarium's front door.

Phyllis says to Anna in a low voice. "If we see them arrive we can cause a distraction so Mrs Steadman doesn't notice them with any luck." In a louder voice Phyllis says, "As its teatime I fancy a nice rarebit; would you like anything Anna?" She calls the waitress over.

"Thank you, yes," said Anna. "I'll have the same." The waitress took their order.

Phyllis eats her rarebit once it arrives whilst keeping an eye out of the window. SHe assumes that Anna, sitting opposite, can see Mrs Steadman.

At around five o'clock, Story and the others arrived outside the sanitarium, where Maggie was waiting for them. Phyllis and Anna watched through the window as she stepped forward and spoke to them.

"No," hissed Anna to Phyllis, glancing back and forth between Madeline and the window. "She's seen them!"

OOC,[b]Madeline[/b]'s Spot Hidden roll: [dice]0[/dice]

"Let's hope Maggie can persuade them to leave and then Mrs Steadman may relax. But be prepared to leave, quickly. We might have to follow her!" Phyllis whispers and then calls for the bill. She looks at the menu and calculates the cost of all the teas and sundries. "Goodness! That's all of this weeks luxuries gone!" She leaves the right money on the table.

Through the window, Phyllis could see Maggie lead the others around the side of the building, out of view. She paid for the meal and rose from the table with Anna as Madeline watched.

Phyllis slowly puts on her coat and walks out with Anna. Then she scuttles round the corner and then peers back at the cafe entrance.
"I do hope she doesn't use the rear entrance." She mutters to Anna. "What do we do if she comes out? Follow her? I can't see Maggie anywhere; she must have gone with the others."

Maggie walked back around to the front of the sanitarium and met Phyllis and Anna outside. "I've got them waiting outside the side entrance," she said, "where the ambulances come."

In the tea shop, Madeline watched them as she paid for her tea.

"Well done, Maggie. Hopefully Mrs Steadman didn't see them go in." Says Phyllis, glad to see her old friend.

"I'm worried about what to do when Mrs Steadman leaves though; I'm not sure I can keep up with these old legs. Perhaps you should ask some of the others to nip out and follow her when she leaves. I'm game to do it myself though if needs be." Phyllis is feeling bolstered, in more than one sense, by the copious tea she has just eaten.

"Aye, I'll go see," said Maggie, hustling back around the corner of the building.

"She's a good soul is our Maggie." Says Phyllis and then she keeps watch for Mrs Steadman.

Anna went inside the sanitarium, after which Madeline left the tea shop and began to walk away. Then Brook rounded the corner to the front of the sanitarium. With a wink to Phyllis, she began to follow Madeline.

"Oh dear, just one young gel on her own?" Phyllis watches with trepidation as Brook walks down the street.
"I'm sure Anna must be in good hands now all the men have arrived at the Sanitorium and that young gel may need some help.

Clutching her handbag, Phyllis starts to follow Brook despite what she had said earlier about sore legs.

OOC,[b]Phyllis[/b] is moving to the thread linked below:

Shadow Girl

OOC,[b]Anna[/b] is moving to the thread linked below:

Waiting