CHAPTER 1: A TYPICAL DAY

[thorley]

Caleb thinks about how embarassing this is as he notices Vivian and a friend approach (was unsure how dazed he was due to the perception roll). Not paticularly sure what he should be saying given the failed set-up attempt in the past he settles for just calmly saying. "Hi Viv, I seem to have crashed my truck chasing some guy in a fancy car who doesn't seem to realize the war is over. I don't suppose you've seen a phone booth nearby?"

[yendor]

Replies in Chinese as he looks, "Thanks Yonette. I'll handle it, ok?"

[josephkerr]

"Hm.." Avery silently mutters to himself before speaking up to Caleb, "Sir, did you see what the automobiles occupants looked like?"

JIC:

[dice=20]

[dice=100][rand=118592505094742732531441103394690470681900210500844690302191725555]

[doc]

(Dark Rider)

After about 15 miles, you come up across a fenced off area, with over a dozen guards - men in fancy dress shirts and slacks that are as out of place in the country as your grandpa in the downtown. You recognize some of the goons - these are Pasquale "Pasty" Merloni's men. It seems Central's biggest mob boss is up to something in the countryside. In the far distance you can make out the barn doors being shut behind a large ominous black shape - the car they were talking about on the radio?

(Everyone else)

The police approach Rex first. A burly, barrel chested man in a suit two sizes too small stares at him with beady brown eyes. His jowls flap like a bulldogs' when he speaks. "And what is going on here? And what happened to my officers?"

Vivian can tell that Caleb is fine. You're a bit surprised - you figured him to be the type knee-deep in fertilizer at this time of day instead of involved in some kind of chase.

Avery, you know that you want to check out that speakeasy before the cops do, so you're unsure as to whether or not you want to even speak to them.

Lex, you're uncomfortable among these cops; your native dislike notwithstanding, you've heard some disquieting rumors about corrupt officers in this area the last little while.

[Nightvision]

"This is getting more interesting by the second," the Rider thinks to himself. He hides the Scout, then he goes scouting. He sneaks once around the compound, looking at the fence, looking at the guards, looking for a way in and out of the compound.

[dice=100+5] %Camo
[dice=100+5] % Detect Ambush
[dice=100+5] % Detect Concealment
[dice=100+5] % Prowl
[rand=2002308423609514639325323719677820971381691670548743512261414612075]

[dakota]

Lex did his best to hide his feelings. Things were no better here than back in Windy City, with the cops as honest as the mobsters they supposely were trying to stop. He'd had little dealings with them here, but knew enough from his travels to avoid a confrontation in public. His curiousity was getting the better of him as he slipped by Vivian and Caleb to have a look at the smashed vehicle."

[Mierin]

Vivian nods at Caleb with the polite smile she puts on in public and says, "Hello Caleb, I am glad to see you are uninjured." Vivian looks around to see if there is a phone booth around where they are.

perception [dice=20][rand=8011758313664503098517838897338789651510660281459018954748682444178]

[josephkerr]

Avery proceeds to leave the scene while straitening his tie out, glancing around and getting a last look at all the different faces as he does.

Once away, he passes through an alleyway, moving onto the next street over. There he attempts to flag down a Taxi, giving the driver the location of the speakeasy when he does.

JIC Rolls:

[dice=20]

[dice=100][rand=868045366575424541358211434581089561620107588386304465384902876]

[shiivster]

Yonette remains quiet as she stands behind Rex. her eyes stay down and focus on the mud stain on the back of his cuff for now. safety relies on her being silent, and silent she can be.

*her curiosity is piqued by Vivian's voice chatting with a male. she's a little stunned that she wpoke first . . no wait, the 'odd' man spoke first. she's just glad that her documents are all in order and with her. her gaze returns to the dirt smear and feels a bit of shame that the trousers aren't spotless as when Rex left earlier

[yendor]

[Whoops, sorry about not replying, missed the officer addressing Rex. Sorry everyone]

Rex looks up, putting on what he hopes is a charming smile. "Treating the injured in a vehicle pursuit, officer. We were the first here, and did our best to make sure your officers, who crashed in pursuit of some strange vehicle, were ok."

[doc]

(Dark Rider)

You see camoflaged fences, tripwires in the dirt, a couple of actual machine gun nests, and the exploded remains of a wolf that indicates nothing less than a full minefield on the perimeter. One thing seems clear - whoever this is, and whatever they are up to, visitors are not welcome.

(Everyone else)

The police ask questions - most of them insulting and pointless, but then take their leave with their fellows.

Lex, you can tell that Caleb must have been trying to chase down the other car judging by the damage - but why and what he thought he could do about it seems a complete mystery to you.

Avery, the taxis seem to avoid the area due to all cops nearby (an occupational hazard, you understand) as the cops shun a "gumshoe" like yourself. However, you notice the large man looking over Caleb's crashed car - something about him seems familiar to your memory, but you can't quite place it.

Vivian, the cops don't talk to you much - whether it's because of your gender or your family, you couldn't say. but you do catch sight of Avery trying to get into a taxi.

Rex, the cops either know exactly who is behind this, or are so incompetent that they don't even know how to ask the right questions; you believe the latter. You see Avery is trying to get out of here, but why is the question. Your own instincts for people suggests he has a lead you've missed.

Caleb, you are grilled the hardest - it's no surprise - you've had no love for cops since they failed to stop the gangsters from killing your family, and they have little love for you for reminding them of that embarrassment (or is it collusion? You still don't know.)

Yonette is mostly ignored by the cops, and thus she notices Avery attempting to leave, Lex inspecting the ruined truck, and Caleb attempting to evade the angered questions of the cops before they leave.

[Nightvision]

The Dark Rider sketches out a map of the compound and the area around it, marking all the traps he has found, the layout of the compound itself, notes on the number and distribution of guards and so on. Getting in there will require some serious thinking. It might even require Grandpa's advice.

Sneaking back to where he hid his motorcycle, he wonders what he should do next. Should he go straight home to consult grandpa? Or should he try to follow the tracks in the opposite direction, see where the vehicle originally came from?

With a grin, he decides on the latter. That has the benefit that he can stop in the city along the way, and ask his pet reporter if he has heard anything about what Pasty is up to.

The Dark Rider retrieves his Scout and tracks back to the city.

[dakota]

Lex looked at the damage, and whistled," Glad you did hit my family's shop," he said, unclear if he was talking to the driver or the truck, " you had to be clipping along pretty good."

[yendor]

Tries to catch up with Avery. "Excuse me, eager to leave to put out a fire?"

[josephkerr]

Rex said:

"Excuse me, eager to leave to put out a fire?"

As Avery has no luck with a Taxi, he seems flustered, "Hm? Just have other things that I need to attend to. Did you have something you wanted to add?" He says, while beginning to eye Lex and trying to place a name to the face.

JIC Rolls:
[dice=20]

[dice=100][rand=78406380240524720162408170065717677662365914335763464623047236496]