Play@YSDC

Maxwell's Sanitarium - London, England
11:00 AM - Tuesday, September 10, 1940

Madeline Steadman left with Archie and Anna, leaving everyone else behind in the sanitarium. If anyone wanted to follow them in secret, now was the last chance.

Eugene watches Archie and Anna leave with the witch, hoping that their ruse works. He turns to tge others and tries his best to smile.

"Shall we find a nice, secure and brightly lit cell we can lock ourselves into? We have time to prepare before it gets dark."

Phyllis looks at the hall clock, “We still have most of the day but I suppose it’s best to be prepared. You and that poor home guard need to be in the same ward so we can all keep an eye on each other. And don’t forget, if there’s an air raid we’ll have to go somewhere safe for that too.”

"What are we going to do during the day?" asked Brook. "We have about eight hours before it gets dark. I don't think we should wait around for a monster to show up. We should be doing something."

"That's a good idea," said Elizabeth. "But, um, who among us can do it? Because I sure can't."

"I might be able to help," said Charles Davis. "I'm not an electrician, but I have some experience with electric lighting."

"Okay," said Brook. "What do the rest of us do? Are we just going to wait here for the enemy to come after us, or do we take the fight to them?"

Phyllis has been sitting, thinking. “If I were the enemy, I would attack during the air raid when we were all at sixes and sevens; on the way to the shelter perhaps. It would be dark and we’d be limited to lights we could carry.

We’d be better off preparing a room we could survive the air raid in and then we wouldn’t have to move. And, my dear,” She says looking at Thorn, “We could take the fight to them but we can’t endanger these two gentlemen, nor do we know where the enemy is hiding.”

Eugene nods in agreement.

"My bet is they're hiding in their warehouse Mrs. C, but I agree: I don't think it's wise to move the sergeant or myself, and as much as sitting around here must be frustrating, we need to be careful and look to our defences."

"Charles, if you think you can set up something, I'm happy to help. I have in mind some sort of emergency pull-chord system that sets off flashbulbs. Certainly in our room, but if possible, also in the corridor outside?"

"Perhaps we could lay our hands on some strong sedatives? I've no idea what will happen when that thing starts to emerge, but would knocking out it's host slow it down perhaps? At any rate, if any of the Steadmans turn up, we could always give them a jab."

"I'll get to work," said Charles.

"Anna would have access to sedatives," said Elizabeth, "but she's not here now. Maybe when she gets back."

"The Father of All Bats will not be so easily defeated," said Story. "It is different from the Jaegerschreck, which is dangerous enough. I have the means to banish the Jaegershreck, but not the Father of All Bats. Still, we know it is also vulnerable to light, as Brook here demonstrated so aptly."

Brook beamed. "Should some of us go over to the warehouse while it's daylight, then?" she asked. "It'll be trapped there while the sun's out, but if we wait until it gets dark, it can go anywhere."

"Some more research might be in order too," added Elizabeth.

Phyllis can see that inaction is frustrating the young people. "I would have thought the warehouse would be safe enough in daylight, if you wanted to explore it. I had better wait here with Eugene and the sergeant; I can just see the Steadmans walking in here and collecting them for some obscure reason. Charles, I don't think there's any point in securing a room if the hospital staff are going to insist we leave it during an air raid."

"Well, that's a good point," said Charles.

"Let's do some research first," said Story. "There will still be enough daylight left after that to go to the warehouse if we want." Elizabeth and Brook nodded agreement. "Does anyone wish to accompany us?"

“I”d like to come along but I wouldn’t be comfortable leaving the sergeant and Eugene here by themselves. And I don’t trust the staff here; they don’t know what’s really going on.” Replies Phyllis.

Phyllis thinks, “The trouble is, the enemy know that you and the sergeant are here at the hospital, whatever we do they’ll direct their attack here. What about if we were to smuggle the two of you out and tonight hide you somewhere else; maybe at the church?”

“That’s not a bad idea Mrs. C,” muses Eugene. “Assuming the sergeant will come quietly. Let’s have a quiet word with him.”

Phyllis follows Eugene to the sergeant’s bedside.
“Sergeant, may I introduce Eugene; he’s had a similar experience to you and we think you are both in danger here. The enemy know you are both here and we think they may attack tonight. We want to take you somewhere else, somewhere safer with lots of bright lights to keep the dark away. What do you say?” Phyllis speaks kindly.

Persuade,70 [dice]0[/dice]

The sergeant instantly perked up when Phyllis mentioned bright lights. "I'll be happy to go with you, ma'am," he said. He smiled at Eugene. "Hello again, mate. We've met before. I think they'll let you leave since you checked yourself in, but I don't know if they'd let me go. If not, maybe I can sneak out of here. We had an escape and evasion exercise in the Home Guard. Of course, I didn't do too well..."

Eugene smiles.

“That’s the spirit Sergeant! Perhaps we should take you for a constitutional; then we can work out an escape route.”

"Aye, they let us walk about the courtyard during the day," said the sergeant. "That's the perfect place."

"A gentle stroll then, by way of a scouting mission?" Eugene replies. "Would you like to join us Mrs.C?"

“Onwards and Upwards, Mr Thompson!” Phyllis leads the way out of the ward, “The sergeant and Mr Thompson are walking out for some air in the courtyard.” She tells the duty-nurse. “I do hope we bump into the others so that we can tell them our plans.” She says to Eugene quietly.

Eugene gives a subtle nod. "I suppose we could leave a note saying we're at the church - they'll know which one we mean. Or would that give the game away?"

Phyllis ponders, “That would be a good idea. I could write, Have decided to visit Giles for a cup of tea. P Cruckshank. Hopefully that will be convoluted enough that only our friends can understand it, should the note fall into the wrong hands. Just in case the Steadmans guess it’s the church in Bethnal Green; what do you think?”

“Perfect! Oh, perhaps Charles should join us too; we’ll need him to set up flashbulbs in the church,” replies Eugene.

“Excellent, I’ll just write the note at reception and tell Charles and then meet you in the courtyard. I must say, this is all rather exciting; it’s almost like breaking out of prison!” She hurries ahead and begs pen and paper from the reception:

Dear all, we have decided to visit Giles and have tea with him, yours, etc etc, P Cruckshank.

And she hands to the receptionist. “If anyone asks for me please could you give them this?”

While Mrs. C makes the necessary arrangements, Eugene escorts the Sergeant outside, as if going for a casual stroll.

After the receptionist accepted the note, Phyllis went with Eugene and the sergeant into the courtyard. While it did provide them with the privacy to discuss their plans, it was soon evident that they could not escape from there. The courtyard was a completely interior one, surrounded by the building itself on all sides. There were lovely trees and plants, as well as benches on which to sit and the occasional bird.

The sergeant looked up and smiled. "It's a bright, sunny day," he said. "I like being in the sun."

Phyllis smiles, her eyes closed in the warm sunshine, “Moments like this one can almost forget the chaos and horror outside.” Her eyes flash open, “But that isn’t helping us any. It seems it’s the front door or the tradesman entrance; assuming there is one. Unless you can think of another idea.” She looks at Eugene and the sergeant. “By the way, Sergeant, what’s your first name, if you don't mind me asking?”

"Angus is my Christian name, ma'am," he said. "Angus MacDonald."

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Angus MacDonald. Now, Catherine Exeter managed to escape from here and I’m determined we should not be outdone by her! I wonder if we could disguise you as a tradesman and smuggle you out the back.” Phyllis looks around the courtyard.

"I'm sure we can find some clothes from somewhere. Perhaps the hospital laundry or a locker room?" Eugene suggests.

"Aye, that might do," said Angus. He was a tall man, and well-built, but some of the orderlies were of similar size. "I...hope it's not dark in there."

“In my experience, laundries are generally bright, better to see the dirt. Come along then, maybe we can find you orderly or porter clothing and then load you up with a bundle to carry out.” Phyllis bustles out to the ‘below stairs’ part of the hospital.

Phyllis crosses her fingers...

luck,65 [dice]0[/dice]

Phyllis made her way into the basement and found the laundry room without being noticed. She even found a couple of orderly uniforms that looked like they'd fit Eugene and Angus nicely.

“Here you go, gentlemen, put these on.” Phyllis looks around for any old sheets Or clothes And makes two piles of them. “We can say you are taking these out for repairs. Now, if I could just find a clipboard, that will give me official business status.”

For the first time in a long while, Eugene smiles genuinely.

“You’re a marvel Mrs. C.”

He turns to Angus.

“Imagine a dozen Mrs. Cs in the army; we’d be marching through Berlin in no time!”

The salesman changes into the uniform (either over his own clothes, or somewhere private to spare Mrs. C’s blushes).

"Well done, ma'am," said Angus. He and Eugene ducked into the nearest water closet, and when they emerged, they were dressed in the orderly uniforms. "Now what?"

While they changed, Phyllis gathered some dirty sheets in a wheeled bin, and it was not hard for her to find a clipboard.

Phyllis smiles modestly, “It’s all in a days work for the W.I.! Now, let’s put these torn sheets on top and you take a big bundle each so you can hide your faces in them.
Now, if anyone asks, I will do the talking but we are taking them to A Stitch In Time in Marylebone for repair. If it all goes wrong, run; I’ll try to make excuses for you. Shall we meet outside the underground station?”

Disguise 21%,[dice]0[/dice]

Eugene, having had to adopt various alter-egos during his career as a salesman, has some experience in disguising himself.

However in this instance the effect leaves a lot to be desired.

“I just hope no one looks too closely.” he grumbles.

“People must take me as they find me I always say.” Says Phyllis.

Disguise,[dice]0[/dice]

Try as they might, Eugene and Angus still looked like a couple of escaping mental patients in orderlies' uniforms.

OOC,[b]Angus[/b]'s Disguise roll (1% base skill) to dress up as an orderly: [dice]0[/dice] Please roll Idea.

Idea 65,[dice]0[/dice]

Eugene’s mind is so addled he cannot think of anything useful.

Phyllis looks at the two men,
"Oh dear." She says.

idea,70[dice]0[/dice]

"What else can we do?" She looks around.

“If only Mr Klein was here -he’s a tailor you know and could sort these outfits in a trice.” Phyllis says by way of explanation. “But he went off with Anna to follow the Steadmans and I’ve no idea when he will be back; we can’t wait too long because we want to be in the church before it gets dark.”

“Oh my word, I’ll forget my own head next! Now, you two stay put and I’ll be back in a jiffy!” Phyllis walks brisklback to the reception hall to commandeer Benjamin and bring him back to the laundry.

Feeling and looking ridiculous, Eugene duly waits with Angus.

Benjamin inspects the orderlies' uniforms, frowning. "They're just not a good fit," he said. "Maybe nobody will notice that they're hanging loose or that the sleeves are too long, but that's a risk. If I could take them to my shop, I could take them in, but the alterations will require a few hours."

OOC,[b]Benjamin[/b]'s player has been gone for months, so I'll roll for him. It looks like we're down to four players. [b]Benjamin[/b]'s Disguise roll (41% skill) to disguise [b]Eugene[/b] and [b]Angus[/b] as orderlies: [dice]0[/dice]

“Does anyone know what time it is and when Anna and Archie plan to be back?” Asks Phyllis.

It was getting close to noon by this point. Anna and Archie should return soon.

Phyllis looks at Eugene. "What do you think we should do? We need to get you and Sergeant MacDonald across London to the church without the Steadmans knowing you are missing. Can we wait until after lunch for Mr Klein to get back with the uniforms? If that's okay with you, Mr Klein?"

“I reckon we can wait for Benjamin here to do some tailoring; we’ll still have a few hours of light left after lunch,” replies Eugene. “It’s better than waddling ‘round like the deflated polar bears we look like at the minute anyhow!”

Eugene and Angus changed back out of their uniforms, which Benjamin folded up and took to his tailor's shop.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

The Great Escape