Play@YSDC

"How about we drive around the corner one more time, paying careful attention to all the surroundings?" asks Thomas. "For all we know, these guys might be hiding inside and planning an ambush. I'm not liking this."

"I agree - lets take another look. We're pretty obvious in this cab, though. Maybe we should park further away and one of us can casually walk by, on the opposite side of the street."

"My old Officer's pistol is up there, in one of my trunks... If they didn't take it, it would be nice to have with us."

[OC: Does Andrei know of a back door to his apartment building?]

Elizabeth remains silent, waiting for the others to come to a decision.

"Right. Let's get out of here, but I suggest we get out all together. We're all in someone's line of fire now..." says Thomas. "Metaphorically... I hope." he adds with a slight smile. "I reckon splitting up is a bad idea."

He pays the cab driver and exits. He will object to anyone staying on their own. As much as he disliked telling other people what to do, he believed he had their best interests in mind and would feel guilty if he just abandoned them to a grim fate.

"Let's walk around the block first, around the back side of my building. There's a rear entrance. We can just walk past it, and see what it looks like."

I have a bad feeling about this, Andrei thinks. Only one of us with a gun. This doesn't feel safe.

Sorry, I didn’t get chance to post last night.

Yes there is a back entrance to Andrei’s apartment building, and he does know about it.
There is also an external fire escape from the end of the hallway outside Andrei’s apartment to the ground. This is at the side of the building.

Caroline follows Andrei and the others, remaining silent.

Assuming that it might be best if Andrei's hands were free right now, Elizabeth will take hold of Caroline's hand and silent follow with her.

imme wrote: Assuming that it might be best if Andrei's hands were free right now, Elizabeth will take hold of Caroline's hand and silent follow with her.

[OOC: Oh no! Now Andrei will be jealous of Caroline as well.]

With Andrei leading the way the four investigators make their way around to the back of the building. As they pass the fire escape they notice that the ladder at the bottom has been pulled down. Glancing upwards they see that the door to the fifth floor seems to be ajar.

Thomas first has a good look around, trying to spot any further clues.

"Looks like the trail's still hot." he says, dropping his cigarette butt and stepping on it, ready for action. "I still think it smells like an ambush. Do we have a good light source? If they're trying to be sneaky, we can just cut them short and turn all the lights on. What do you say, Andrei? You know your own apartment better than I do."

[OOC-- Elizabeth is scared. Deal with it. ]

[OC: Sorry Elizabeth, but as soon as Thomas got in the car, the group hand-holding in the back seat stopped. Andrei would have put his arm around you, or a hand on your lap though.]

"This is probably how they entered my rooms," Andrei whispers, looking up at the fire escape, hilighted with a frosting of snow. "Theres a light switch in the hall near the stairwell, but I don't know about the back part of the hall, where the fire escape leads to. The light switch in my rooms is just inside the door."

Andrei pauses for a minute, inspecting the fire escape from afar. Can Elizabeth and Caroline climb that? In all this snow? He looks around the street for a late-night cafe, or other busy public place where the two ladies could wait for a few minutes.

"I suppose you should go first, then Thomas. I'll follow. Ellie, what do you think? Do you think you can climb the fire escape? It might be slippery."

[OC: Are there any late-night cafe's or speakeasy's that I know of in the area?]

[OOC--Okay, no hand holding, got it. Oh, since we left the taxi I guess Caroline has her medical bag with her and she and Elizabeth have the bag(s) they packed, right?]

Elizabeth looks down at her feet. "Yes, that shouldn't be a problem. These shoes aren't too slick. What should we do with our bags?"

"I would have thought it'd make more sense if you went first since you know the place by heart." says Thomas, slightly irritated. "But what must be done must be done, and someone's got to do it." He then starts climbing the ladder as silently as possible. He will pause as soon as he hears something, or when he's near the fifth floor.

Andrei follows Thomas, also irritated. He makes an effort to calm himself down, and on the first landing he whispers, diplomatically, "I'll help with the lights, and anything else. I'll do what I can."

At each landing, Andrei will look behind to ensure Caroline and Elizabeth are doing OK, and watch the back road and alleys to ensure no one is watching or sneaking up behind them.

(OOC: Thanks for the bit about the bag. I'm always forgetting to remember not to forget it.)

Caroline thinks she catches a bit of an incredulous look from Andrei, which she interprets--perhaps wrongly--as a negative assessment of her climbing ability. Well, she'd just see about that. Thankfully, she was wearing decent shoes. Clutching her bag, she makes her way as best she can up the fire escape, hoping that their precautions will prove unnecessary, though she's grateful for them just the same.

Elizabeth also grabs her bag and ascends the fire escape.