Play@YSDC

Limehouse Police Station - London, England
7:30 AM - Monday, September 9, 1940

Eddie and Eugene returned to the police station. The same old sergeant was working the front desk, and he looked exhausted.

Eugene approaches the sergeant with some trepidation, expecting bad news.

"Morning Sergeant. How did it go last night?"

"I can't bloody talk about it," said the sergeant. "They made me sign the Official Secrets Act and everything."

"Really? Well I'm glad they're taking this seriously at least."

He leans forward so that only the Sergeant can hear him.

"Listen, I've been exposed to the full force of what the Steadmans can do - I don't think there are any secrets I don't already know about, official or otherwise. If I've sent men to their deaths I need to know about it - for their sake if not mine..."

Persuade 65% Extreme success,[dice]0[/dice]

Eddie also walks up to the sergeant. "I'm about to report to the ARP post, I'd like to know if I can tell my fellow wardens anything, especially if their lives might be in danger."

"I don't rightly know what happened at the warehouse myself," the sergeant said, shaking his head, "but it couldn't have been good. Look, I'm sure you two are all right. I guess I can tell you this much, but keep it under your hat. I called the Home Guard, and they sent a squad inside. Only one of them came out again, and he was a raving nutter. They sent him to Maxwell's, and the Home Guard have the warehouse under watch now. The building's been officially declared unsafe, and nobody's going in or out. As long as people stay away from that place, it should be all right."

Eugene slumps against the wall at the mention of the deaths. All his fault...

"Thankyou Sergeant," he says weakly. "Mum's the word."

He turns to Eddie and sighs.

"At least the warehouse is locked down. Perhaps we'd better brief your colleagues though - make sure they're ready with a spotlight if the need arises."

I just hope the deaths of those brave men weigh as heavily on Major Steadman's mind as they do on mine... he thinks to himself.

As the sergeant went on, Eddie's expression gradually became grim. He nodded. "I'll make sure the wardens know to steer clear of the warehouse."

"Thank you," said the sergeant. "I'd appreciate that."

Eugene nods.

"Let's get going. Perhaps we could also talk to Major Steadman's commanding officer afterwards - word about what he's done must've spread up the chain of command by now."

Eddie and Eugene left the police station. The only question was where exactly they wanted to head next.

The ARP folks first I think.

Eugene breathes deeply, as if trying to exhale his feelings of guilt into the London air. He claps his friend on the shoulder.

"I suppose we should head for the nearest ARP base? Lead the way."

Eddie led the way to the ARP post. It was underground, so that it too functioned as a shelter. The place was bustling with activity, though not as much as there had been during the raid. Still, the aftermath had resulted in a lot of work. Melissa, the female air raid warden he had seen here yesterday, was here too, sitting behind the front desk. "Morning, Eddie," she said. "Turning in at the end of your shift?"

Eugene stands back, waiting for Eddie to make the introductions. Whilst dong so, he takes the opportunity to scan the ARP post for any useful information.

OOC,Not sure if this is pertinent, but it saves hanging around doing nothing! Spot Hidden 65% [dice]0[/dice]

Eugene has a vague thought.

"Eddie, I don't suppose they have flare guns here do they?"

Eugene noticed a locked supply cabinet in one corner of the room.

"Actually, 'twas the ARP who declared it unsafe," said Melissa. "I wasn't here last night, my shift is just starting, but I heard about it when I got in from the night shift folks. The Home Guard secured the place, and they'll take care not to let anyone too close. Apparently it's like to collapse due to bomb damage, or so I'm told. Thanks for letting me know." She glanced over at Eugene. "We've got a few yes, but we keep them locked up unless they're needed. No sense giving Jerry a good look at what he's trying to hit."

Eugene nudges Eddie.

"Didn't you say your ARP section needed some flares,y'know, just in case the batteries failed on your lights and you needed to, er, illuminate something?"

Melissa frowned. "One of those would illuminate far too much," she said. "Your electric torch is hooded, so Jerry won't see the lights from above. Flares should only be used in the daytime, and you're on night shift. Anyway, you're based here too, Eddie, and we've got the flares here in case of an emergency."

OOC,Both of you may try to roll Fast Talk.

"No, I haven't read that one," said Melissa. "It doesn't make any sense. I mean, the whole point is to keep the lights out at night. Still, since when do regulations make sense?" She rose and went over to the locked cabinet, unlocked the padlock with a key, and removed a flare gun. Then she locked the cabinet back up and returned, handing the flare gun to Eddie. "Here you go, Eddie. Be careful with it."

Eugene feels a bit pleased with himself as the flare is handed to Eddie. At least they have an alternative light source if things don't go to plan.

"What next? Back to the church, or do we have time to catch up with the others?"

Eddie nods as Melissa gives him the flare. "Yes ma'am." He then puts it into his bag and turns to Eugene. "I think we should stop by the church, first."

"Have a nice day," said Melissa, waving as Eddie and Eugene left.

They stopped back at the church. Giles Curry was there, but none of the others had returned as of yet.

"Hmm, I suppose we could phone the hospital and see if anyone's still there."

Eugene wonders if there's a phone box nearby.

There was a red telephone booth on a nearby corner, and Eugene placed a call to Maxwell's Sanitarium. He was put through to Anna Jerkins.

"Good morning," she said to him. "How are you feeling? Is everything all right?"

"Oh, I'm bearing up Anna. How are you?"

Eugene outlines what they've discovered about the Home Guard raid before enquiring after Phyllis, Benjamin and Maggie.

"Rather than waiting at the church, Eddie and I were wondering if we could catch up with them."

He finishes the call with a warning for Anna and her colleagues to be on their guard.

"Oh, I'll do," replied Anna. "I'm afraid you've just missed them. They're off to find Lord Rufus Colville. Speaking of the Home Guard, we've got a patient here who is apparently the sole survivor of that raid. I had to sedate him, and he's sleeping it off now. Thank you for the warning. The others warned me as well."

Eugene curses inwardly at just missing the others, but this is soon eclipsed by the feeling of guilt at the mention of the Home Guard survivor.

"Oh... How is he? Has he told you anything about the raid?

"He's mostly incoherent, and I can't do much for him," said Anna. "He's worse off than you are. He must have seen the same thing you did, and he ran away as soon as he saw it. Blames himself for the loss of his men. The others did manage to get something out of him when they were here. He called it the thing in the dark, and he mentioned that it had a red eye, which saw him. He's terrified of the dark, and he insisted on having a lamp by his bedside even though there's light streaming in through the windows. His hair also turned white. He heard shooting and screaming behind him as he fled, which then stopped. Whatever happened, it was in the basement of the warehouse. He said there was an Egyptian room, if that makes any sense."

"The Egyptian room is a secret chamber they've got in the warehouse. It's where they got me..."

Eugenen shudders.

"Did the others say where they were going?"

"They were going to stop off at a store to buy some lanterns and then head to the Foreign Office, on King Charles Street, to look for Lord Rufus Colville," said Anna.

"Thanks; hopefully we can catch up with them there. You go careful now."

Eugene replaces the reviever and goes back to the church. He fills Eddie in on what he's learned.

"If we can get to the Foreign Office in time, I vote we catch up with them."

Eddie frowns when he learns of the soldier's condition, it must've been horrible to witness. Still, it was good to hear that he's in good care now. "Very well then, let's go. The sooner we catch up to others, the better."

Eugene nods and collects his gear, including flashlights and the flare gun. He follows Eddie out of the church, assuming, as an ARP warden, he knows the city well enough to find the quickest route to the Foreign Office.

OOC,Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

Convergence