Play@YSDC

Maxwell's Sanitarium- London, England
9:00 PM - Tuesday, September 10, 1940

Anna and the orderly returned to the sanitarium, without Catherine Exeter. This would only serve to increase Eugene's worry.

Seeing Anna arrive without her quarry, Eugene slumps.

"She got away didn't she?" he grumbles, glaring at the orderlies. "What did I tell you...?"

He sighs - the time for recriminations long past.

"Let's hope she doesn't catch up with her accomplices."

'From what Phyllis told me, Major Steadman might have already met a sticky end' says Anna. 'I had better tell them Mrs Exeter has escaped.'

“It’s a shame such a brave man should snuff it, but when I gave him the chance to stop this madness, he didn’t...” Eugene scowls. “Did Mrs. C. say what happened to his missus? Did they get hold of the jewel?”

Anna answers Eugene, 'We only talked briefly, the Major shot Rev Pennyfeather and he had to be operated on. The beast carried the Major away, Phyllis frightened it off with her hurricane lantern but she says it had its tail wrapped around her waist! She wanted to know whether you two thought it might put her at risk from the creature like you. They didn't say what happened to the jewel or Mrs Steadman.'

Anna goes back upstairs to ring the hospital to see if she can talk to Phyllis. She takes a lantern with her.

A woman answered the phone. After Anna said who she was and to whom she wanted to speak, the call was put on hold. A minute later, Phyllis picked up the phone and spoke: “Hello, Dr. Jerkins? This is Phyllis Cruckshank speaking.”

'Hello Mrs Cruckshank, I've some bad news. Catherine Exeter has escaped.' She pauses to let the news sink in. 'She escaped into the sewers, I managed to catch her but then she slipped through our fingers again. Currently I am safe in the sanatorium with Eugene and Angus. How is the Reverend?'

“The Reverend is well, thank goodness,” replied Phyllis. “He’s tired and needs lots of rest but the doctor patched him up. Can you believe: his bible in his breast pocket saved him. So that means both Mrs. Exeter and the bat are both loose in London. Do you think she can control it if she finds it? At least they are opposite ends of London, I suppose.” Phyllis stifled a yawn. “We’ve still got a long night to go. You must keep those lanterns burning, Doctor Jerkins.”

'I don't know if she can control it, didn't she need that gem, whatever happened to that, did you find it?' says Anna. 'I am glad Reverend Pennyfeather is well, saved by the grace of the Lord!'

“We had a spot of bother about the gem,” replied Phyllis dolefully. “A young scamp pickpocketed it from the Major and ran off with it. It could be anywhere now. Other than waiting until tomorrow and offering a reward, I can’t see how we can possibly get it back. And with Catherine Exeter missing too we’re rather back at square one.”

'If she doesn't have the gem I'd say that's good news for us. Although, I think that means the bat-thing is out of control' says Anna. 'I'm not sure there's anything more we can do tonight but keep those lights burning.'

“You too,” said Phyllis. “Good luck dear. Send our best to Eugene and Angus.” She hung up the phone.

OOC,Is there anything else you want to do tonight?

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, and everyone who was asleep at around 6:00 AM was awakened when the all clear sounded.

After waking with a start at the sound of the all-clear, Eugene rubs his eyes. Was he dead or alive?

Satisfying himself that he’s still very much alive, he looks over to Angus.

“Morning mate, looks like we’re still in one piece.”

"Aye," said Angus, rubbing his eyes. "I cannae wait to see the sun again."

"You can say that again!" replies Eugene, looking around for Anna. "I wouldn't say no to a good breakfast either."

Waking on the floor, surrounded by the nubs of burnt down candles, Anna groggily gets to her feet. She has not slept well, visions of Catherine Exeter plaguing her dreams.

She stumbles to the toilet and stares at the crack in the wall, trying to process the events of last night.

The electricity was back on this morning, as was revealed when one of the orderlies tried to turn on the lights. The seam looked the same to Anna as it had before. There was no other indication that there had been a passage there before.

Eugene watches as Anna inspects the wall.

“Too much to expect she climbed out of a window I suppose?”

'There was a passageway there and now there's not. Who knows what else she is capable of now she is free' says Anna. 'I should have climbed back into the sewers and chased her when she escaped again. But that chance is passed.'

"Should've stopped her as soon as she was brought back here," Eugene mutters, half to himself. "But no-one listened to me... I suppose, why would they? Witches in this day and age..."

He visibly pulls himself together.

"We should find out if the creature killed anyone else last night, and if Major Steadman has been reported killed."

"We'll need the morning paper, then," said Maggie Duncan. "Shall we head upstairs and see if we can find one? And some breakfast wouldn't go amiss either."

Eugene is more than happy to peruse a newspaper over breakfast.

People filtered upstairs, and a solid English breakfast was served in the cafeteria. Eugene managed to get a copy of the morning newspaper, but it didn't mention Major Steadman at all. There were articles in there about the bombing of course, as well as known casualty lists so far and counts of planes lost for both the RAF and the Luftwaffe. The articles were optimistic that the RAF was turning the tide.

By the time breakfast was done, Story, Elizabeth, and Brook returned.

"Good morning," said Story. "We spent the night at St. James's Church again. How is everyone?"

Eugene, cheered by a hearty breakfast and some sunlight, smiles.

“Morning! Our plans went skew-whiff I’m afraid. The idiot orderlies let Exeter escape and her daughter is also on the loose. However it seems the good Major lost control of whatever he summoned and is dead. Also, their magic jewel has been stolen by some urchin or other.”

"They let her escape again?" said Brook. "Well, I guess they don't really know how to cope with magic."

"I think I know what must have happened to Major Steadman," said Story. "From our research, the Jaegerschreck requires a human sacrifice in order to control it. If the sacrifice is unavailable, the creature will take the summoner instead, back to its home dimension. I doubt we'll see him again. A pity he ended up that way, but he brought it upon himself. Too bad it didn't take the Shining Trapezohedron with it, but at least it's out of their hands now. It turned out that the Dagger of Thoth was in the vault in London, and I was able to convince Miss Siddons to let us borrow it. I have it in a carrying case. Whoever is good with a knife may wield it, but be warned: it has a powerful curse upon it."

"The Shining Trapezohedron is like a bad penny," said Elizabeth. "No matter what happens to it, it will eventually turn up. Where are Mrs. Cruckshank and Reverend Pennyfeather?"

OOC,[b]Elizabeth[/b]'s Luck roll (55% stat) to see if the dagger was in the vault: 0 [b]Story[/b]'s Persuade roll (85% / 2 = 42.5% skill) to convince [b]Carole Siddons[/b] to let them borrow it: 1 [b]Story[/b]'s Sanity roll (current level 76) for enduring the fourth night of the Blitz: 2 [b]Elizabeth[/b]'s Sanity roll (current level 58) for enduring the fourth night of the Blitz: 3

Anna wanders over to join the others. She overhears Brook, 'Well, there's not much some of us can do about magic!' she says, through tight lips.

'Mrs Cruckshank and the Reverend are at the hospital. I can give them a call. Do we have any leads for stopping Mrs Exeter and her pet?'

"If you mean the Jaegerschreck," said Story, "I have the means to handle it, and anyone can use light to at least keep it at bay. The Father of All Bats isn't her pet. It is an extremely powerful entity, and it no longer has need of her. The dagger may be able to stop it, but at a cost. Otherwise, light is our most powerful weapon. Now that it's daylight, they can't fly around outside. The Jaegerschreck appears to have returned to its dimension, and without the Shining Trapezohedron, they should be unable to summon another one. Stopping the Father of All Bats must be our highest priority, and we need to do it during the day, when it cannot escape."

'And where will it be during the day? Somewhere under the ground, maybe the sewers?' asks Anna.

"My guess would be the warehouse where it fled the night it was summoned," said Story. "The Home Guard had the place surrounded and sealed off, I recall. They couldn't have stopped it from leaving, but they would notice if it did. It may be laying low until it can successfully draw its intended host to it."

“So either Angus or myself then,” groans Eugene. “What do we do? Go to the warehouse and confront it, or wait for the blackout, when it’ll surely come for us.”

"I think we should go after it," said Story. "In daytime, it cannot flee, but at night it can roam London at will. Also, it might not come after you. As I said, it will try to draw you to it. The pull will grow stronger and stronger until it becomes irresistible. It is better that we confront the Father of All Bats before that happens."

“I hate to say it, but you’re right,” sighs Eugene. “Which takes us back to our original problem of getting me and Angus out of here.”

Anna laughs grimly, 'You should have come with me after Mrs Exeter, you'd have been out in a jiffy.'

"They'll never let me leave," said Angus. "The Home Guard gave them very clear orders. I dinna want to go nigh the beastie anyway."

Eugene pats Angus on the shoulder.

“If it is you it’s after, we’ll get to it first. If it’s me, then we’ll save it a journey.”

He turns to Anna.

“If you can get me out, I suppose I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to face the monster.”

'Eugene, you're a voluntary patient, I don't see any problem with taking you out of here. I can go and let Dr Stoddard know' says Anna.

“The orderlies didn’t seem so keen to let me go yesterday,” says Eugene. “Though I suppose I was trying to spring Angus at the time. I don’t suppose you know where my flare pistol is? I can’t remember if I had it with me when I came in.”

Anna was able to quickly find Dr. Stoddard, who had just arrived. He did not appear to be in a good mood. "What's this I hear about another escape, Dr. Jerkins?" he asked.

OOC,I believe [b]Eddie[/b] the air raid warden has the flare, and he isn't here. He would have been making his rounds at night, and he will probably be sleeping now that his shift is over.

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

The Boss

OOC,Everyone else is moving to the thread linked below:

Together Again