Part 1B - A Warning to the Observant - Colin

[SunlessNick]

Melbourne in the spring of 1928 is a prosperous city, although the gap between the haves and have-nots is wide. About a million souls live there now, ranging from bohemians and flappers, to staid professionals and officials, to impoverished factory and dock workers, to academics at the University of Melbourne or the National Museum, to the inevitable criminal and underclasses - yet only a handful of Australia's Aboriginal population live there, most having been forced off to reservations or missions in the country.

Colin does regularly see one, however, a cleaning maid at the University of Melbourne, but the name of Lucy Brown - a name that's earned her no end of racist comments - her brother Clarence is an amateur boxer in various sporting dives around the city. The pair have been of great help to Colin in winning the trust of other indigenous people for the sake of his studies.

Right now, Colin is hearing one of those racist comments over his shoulder, but it's a lot more alarming than usual: "Good job she's got the cut, don't you think? Or how else would you tell that's a black eye?"

[HoneyDog]

Colin turns around to see who made the comment.

[SunlessNick]

Colin recognises two young men, Rearden and Price, both from the idle rich end of the student body's spectrum. It is Lucy they're talking about - she's wheeling a trolley bearing a mop and bucket, every line of her body suggesting she was trying not to be noticed - she does indeed have a black eye, as well as bruising on the opposite cheek.

[HoneyDog]

Colin strides purposefully up to the two men.

"Why don't you both piss off?" he says aggressively. "Or does the Dean need to hear about you harassing the staff?"

[SunlessNick]

"Why don't you both piss off?" he says aggressively. "Or does the Dean need to hear about you harassing the staff?"

"No need to be like that," Price says. "It's all in good fun."
"You don't see her objecting do you?" Reardon adds.
Nevertheless, they walk on.

Lucy relaxes slightly at their departure. "Thankyou," she says.

[HoneyDog]

"Don't mention it" says Colin, looking closely at her face. "What happened?"

[SunlessNick]

"Nothing," she says, hunching up a bit. With a look at your face, she changes her tune, "There's a couple of guys who have been messing with Clarence. One of them said was a warning to him."

[HoneyDog]

Colin's eyes narrow.

"A warning? About what exactly?"

[SunlessNick]

"They want him to lose fights in the sports clubs. They must run bets. I told him it wasn't them, but I don't think he believed me. If he goes after them, he'll get himself killed."

[HoneyDog]

"Shall we talk to him together?" says Colin. "Help him think about what to do, and keep him calm. You have to tell him, you know. They'll just come back again."

[SunlessNick]

"Ok. He's meeting me here at four to walk me home." [Like most of the Aboriginal population in Melbourne, Clarence and Lucy can only afford to live in the Fitzroy suburb - it's not far from the university, but is notoriously rough. Colin has the feeling that Lucy may be trying to spare him taking a trip through it with this arrangement]

In any event, he has enough work and research to take up his time until then.

And at the appointed hour, Lucy is waiting near the door, when Clarence appears. He's tall, broad, and it's easy to see why a crook might want to deliver a warning to someone besides him. He recognises you, and extends his hand in greeting.

"Can we sit down somewhere," Lucy asks. "I want to talk to you about..."

Clarence looks between Lucy and Colin, obviously a bit surprised at you being included in such a conversation, but nods. Lucy leads the way to a secluded bench.

Clarence speaks first. "I know you said it wasn't Tony Reilly who did this to you-"

Lucy interrupts. "I lied. I'm sorry..."

[SunlessNick]

"That rooter," Clarence says. "I'll-"

"That's why I didn't tell you," Lucy pleads. "They'll kill you if you go after them like that."

"What else can I do? The coppers won't get involved over this, and I'm not letting it stand - you're my sister."

[HoneyDog]

“Can you fight all of them? And win?” Colin asks him. “They’re an organization, aren’t they? There are always going to be more. You have to find another way to fix the problem. What options are there?”

[SunlessNick]

"Please, listen to him," Lucy says.

Clarence shakes his head. "You're right, you're right. I could just give them what they want. Throw the fights they tell me to." His lips twist as he says it - clearly it hurts his pride.

"If they're an organisation, they must be doing other things," Lucy says. "If the police won't care about us, maybe we can find something they will care about."

[HoneyDog]

“You don’t have to throw the fights if you don’t box” says Colin. “It’s worth thinking about.”

“Are you sure you want to go up against them?” he asks Lucy.

[SunlessNick]

"Just... give up?" Clarence asks. "Let them drive me out of the sport?"

Lucy looks pained at your and his questions, obviously not wanting to answer.

Clarence sees her reaction and says, "I could do that. Lucy's more important than continuing to box."

"Would they leave it there if you did?" Lucy asks.

[HoneyDog]

Colin waits for Clarence to answer.

[SunlessNick]

"I don't know," he answers at last. "But they didn't hurt you just because they were afraid of me. They want me to look fit for the ring, so people will bet on me. And that means if they aren't willing to let me quit..." His meaning is plain enough - Lucy is the one they'll go after again. "I'm not taking that chance. So I give them what they want, or I find something the police will care about," he continues. "I can't see another way."

[HoneyDog]

Colin sighs.

"Alright then. Tell us what you know about their operation."

[SunlessNick]

"The two who come around the clubs are brothers, Tommy and Tony Reilly. Tommy's the brains, but Tony's not an idiot - people think he is cos his jaw's broke, and he can't talk straight. They have cafe on Cole Lane - I know where that is, Tony took me there when they made their 'offer.' I heard them talking about a fella called Kittrell - it sounded like he was their boss, but I've never seen him."

OOC, Colin's Credit Rating: 40 Rolled 1D100: 36

It's only legal to bet on sporting events on the day and at the events in question, but illegal betting shops are commonplace, and a cafe would be a good place for prospective punters to wait and listen to the match or race on the wireless. Unfortunately, that's still something police generally turn a blind eye to, but if they're into anything else, it might be the place to start.