<Calica> Zachary is in a staging area in a dark alley, not far from Lisa's headquarters but not quite visible from it either, waiting for Rip and his two men to arrive.
<Calica> Saepio whispers to Zachary. "(That was so disappointing! I think they...laughed!...more than they screamed in pain!"
<Yarrun> "That's the film industry for you"
<Calica> "(You had better make this up to me.)"
Juan has joined #madokamadness
<Yarrun> "If there's not screaming tonight, then I'll probably be dead and you'll be free to try again in a few weeks, so works for you either way"
<Calica> "(Very well.)"
<Calica> Rip walks up to Zachary in the alley. "Bob and Tom are at the other side, just waiting for my signal. Are you ready?"
» BGTB2005prepares popcorn
<Yarrun> Zachary draws his pistol
<Yarrun> "About time we introduced ourselves to the city at large. Let's roll."
<Icon> Imagining this in a kind of Tarantino-esque fashion.
<Calica> heh, well, I watched Kill Bill while on vacation, so
<Icon> I fucking love those movies.
<Myrdradek> @yt misirilou
<Omnipresence> Myrdradek: YouTube: (1/5) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPaCsZFrfK4 — Misirilou: Na 3 jaar zijn THE rockin' Explosions weer even bij elkaar. (+908 more characters)
<Yarrun> as of now, assume that Zachary's dressed like Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction
<Calica> still need to watch pulp fiction since Myrdradek brought it up, lol
<Calica> "Probably. Bob and Tom are supposed to be here too, but nowhere to be found."
Rig has left #madokamadness
<Yarrun> "Shit. Like I need more problems."
<BGTB2005> take no chances; set everything on fire :V
<Yarrun> "If they're expecting us, they'll probably expect us to slip through the back."
<Yarrun> "So in through the front, guns blazing."
<Calica> "Works for me."
<Yarrun> Zachary moves to one side of the front doors, motioning for Rip to take the other side
<Calica> Rip follows Zachary's lead. Who knows what the fuck he's capable of.
<Yarrun> Zachary counts down to zero on his fingers and kicks down the door, gun at the ready
<Calica> And...it's empty.
<Calica> Even the guns seem to have been moved out.
<Yarrun> Zachary lowers his gun in confusion
CentralAve has joined #madokamadness
Buttercupistiny has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<Yarrun> "...Rip. You don't think Bob and Tom cleaned the place out before we did, do you?"
<Calica> "It's...possible, but they wouldn't've known about that." Rip points to the opened bookshelf.
<Yarrun> "True."
<Yarrun> "...wait, if Bob and Tom didn't show up, then they probably ran into the thief! We know which way they went then."
<Calica> "...wait, do you smell something?"
<Calica> "Smells like gas from the stoves."
<Yarrun> Zachary, almost on instinct, turns around and makes a run for the door
<Calica> Rip runs behind Zachary, and just as he exits the door... FOOOOOOM
Buttercupistiny has joined #madokamadness
ChanServ sets mode: +o Buttercupistiny
<BGTB2005> damnit rin
<Yarrun> Zachary gets up and watches as the place burns down
<Yarrun> "...well."
<Yarrun> "Cops'll be here sooner than later. We can't stay long. Take me to where Tom and Bob were supposed to be."
<Calica> Rip leads Zachary to the other alley where Tom and Bob were supposed to be, only to find...
<IllFlower> JACK NICHOLSON
<Calica> ...a line of yellow police tape covering the alley.
<IllFlower> IN THE SHAPE OF JACK NICHOLSON
<Calica> drilflower
<Yarrun> Zachary sighs
<Yarrun> "Someone is trying way too hard to get me angry. And it's working, dammit"
<IllFlower> I'm sorry.
<Yarrun> "Sorry about your men, Rip"
<Calica> "His men?" It's a female voice.
<Yarrun> Zachary doesn't turn his head from the crime tape
<Yarrun> "So, you're the mastermind then."
<Yarrun> "What's your damage?"
<Calica> "I'd like you two to come to the station and answer some questions for me."
<Yarrun> Zachary looks over and is surprised to see a cop
<Yarrun> "...oh! My apologies! I thought you were someone else and I was...i had this whole thing planned out and..."
<Yarrun> "..."
<Yarrun> "...yeah, we're not going with you."
<Calica> "Don't disrespect us, sir." Another police officer comes charging to tackle Zachary to the ground.
<Yarrun> Zachary moves to dodge
<Calica> roll Stamina.
<Yarrun> did we ever decide whether I was switching from Paranoid to Reckless?
<Calica> I'm okay with it. Everyone else?
<Calica> -1 to defense rolls?
<Icon> (I'm fine. Always did strike me more as reckless anyhow.)
<CentralAve> (no objections here)
<Yarrun> (Well, I guess I'm rolling 1d20 for this)
<Yarrun> @dice roll 1d20
<Omnipresence> Yarrun: Rolled 3 = 3.
<Calica> @dice roll 3d20
<Omnipresence> Calica: Rolled 5 5 8 = 18.
<Calica> Zachary gets slammed to the ground hard. Ouch.
<Yarrun> Zachary turns and looks at the police officer on top of him
<Yarrun> (...wait, are we doing turn order right now?)
<Calica> (...we probably should soon, especially if you want Felix to do anything)
<Yarrun> (Stamina roll, right?)
<Calica> "Don't resist an officer."
<Yarrun> "Sir, no offense, but if you just let me get back on my feet, I'll explain"
<Calica> "Start explaining from the ground and I'll decide if you should get up."
<Yarrun> "I'm a friend of the owner of that building. You know, the one burning down right now?"
<Yarrun> "My friend heard of the arson streak earlier today, got worried, and wanted me to clean some valuables out of the place"
<Yarrun> "Rip and those two sods in the corpse bags were supposed to help with the larger stuff."
<Calica> "Two?"
<Yarrun> "..."
<Yarrun> "Less or more?" he says with trepidation
<Calica> The woman speaks up. "We're investigating a single murder. You said there were supposed to be two people here?"
<Yarrun> "...the other guy probably ran back home."
<Yarrun> "Want his address?"
<Calica> "Let me see the corpse. I should be able to identify it."
<Calica> The male officer lets Zachary up, and lifts the police tape. "Look, but don't touch. This is a crime scene."
<Yarrun> Zachary's hand dips into his jacket as he leans in
<Calica> It's Bob.
<Calica> He's got three gunshot wounds to the chest.
<Yarrun> "...yeah, he's one of ours."
<Yarrun> Zachary sighs
<Yarrun> "Look, it's been a long day. I want to get home and reevaluate my life. You want information."
<Yarrun> "Ask whatever questions you want, right here, and I'll answer them."
<Yarrun> "Gotta get back to my friend, after all. Can't waste time going to the station."
<Calica> "Why were your friends meeting up in a dark alleyway after dark to move clothes?"
<Calica> er, to move house
<Calica> whatever
<Yarrun> "Well, we figured that whoever was responsible for causing, well, that"
<Yarrun> Zachary sticks a thumb towards the flaming building
<Yarrun> "Might do something reckless if we made it obvious we were moving stuff out."
<Yarrun> Zachary pauses
<Yarrun> "Well, more reckless than this."
<Calica> "Are you saying someone's targeting you?"
<Yarrun> Zachary looks away shiftily, exaggerating a bit for effect.
<Yarrun> He lowers his voice as he continues
<Yarrun> "My friend's been hassled by a gang recently"
<Yarrun> "Heard they're run by some freak called Lisa"
<Yarrun> "Since he freaked out at the fires, I'm guessing the other arsons were her doing."
<Yarrun> Zachary shrugs
<Yarrun> "I'm a fairly upstanding kind of guy, so I'm not exactly an encyclopedia when it comes to gang stuff"
<Calica> The female officer speaks up. "This is all very peculiar, and we might be able to bring you in, but I don't think you're guilty of anything except maybe public intoxication."
<Yarrun> Zachary sticks his arms out and walks a few feet in a line
<Calica> "That said, if you have any information about the gang... call this number." She scribbles a number and the name "Officer Takahara" onto a sheet of paper.
<Yarrun> Zachary takes it and shoves it in his jacket pocket
<Yarrun> "Pleasure working with you, officer."
<Calica> "Oh, and you said you think the other one ran home? Could you write his address here?"
jseblan has quit IRC (Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 40.0/20150807085045])
<Calica> Saepio whispers to Zachary. "(This is a very disappointing night. Fire, and murder, and I hear no screams?)"
<Yarrun> ("You think I'm happy with this? I'll figure out something")
<Yarrun> Yarrun writes the address of a fast food joint on the other side of town
<Yarrun> *Zachary
<Calica> Unless Yarrun has anything immediate he ants to do, I think I'll skip to the next day and another player.
<Yarrun> Heads up, Zachary has plans to find Christa. Besides that, go ahead
<Calica> alright, well, do any of Icon, CentralAve, or Myrdradek really want to go next?
<Icon> (Why? :V)
<Myrdradek> I'm good whenever
<Yarrun> (Muscle, my dear girl)
<Icon> (confuse Also I'm fine going now.)
<Icon> (Still confused.)
<Yarrun> Oh, right, and I tell Rip to track down Tom as soon as possible while I hit the bookshop
<Calica> Alright. It's the next day, in the morning, in Christa's bookshop.
jseblan has joined #madokamadness
<Calica> Icon: Anything Christa wants to do in particular?
<Icon> Uh, no, I wasn't sure what to do and figured I'd let you lead. Since around this time she's waiting to make a move on that other place.
<Yarrun> (...don't mean to butt into Icon's time, but this would be a good time for Zach to show up)
<Calica> Well, first, Big walks up to Christa. "Did you hear the news?"
<Icon> (I forget. >_> Does she knows Lisa's name/status?)
<Calica> (Big told her about "the witch", and you went into her place)
AttObl has quit IRC (Quit: ChatZilla 0.9.92 [Firefox 40.0/20150807085045])
<Calica> (and I think you also saw Lisa and decided to bail)
<Icon> Christa looks up from the book she'd been reading. Been such a boring day. "Yeah, the same place I visited not long ago. Can't say I'm too sympathetic to the girl that was shacked up there."
<Icon> (Would it be too weird to say that she snapped a picture of the map on her phone or something before bailing?)
<Calica> (not at all)
<Calica> "Well, it's interesting, because the cops are suggesting someone set the fire."
<Calica> Big lowers his voice to a whisper. "Was it you?"
<Icon> She chuckles. "No, not that I can blame the arsonist."
<Icon> "Pretty certain I met your 'witch' before having to escape."
<Calica> "You did? I'm surprised you made it out alive."
<Icon> "I have my ways." Christa pauses for a moment. "She seemed pretty unhinged, to say the least."
<Calica> The door opens to someone vaguely familiar to Big.
<Calica> And someone who Christa met pretty recently.
<Icon> "Oh, hey." Christa extends a hand to greet him. "What are you in for?"
<Calica> "Watch out. That's one of the guys the witch likes to disguise as."
<Yarrun> Zachary looks at Big for a moment before looking back at Christa
<Yarrun> "Well, I was going to ask you how much you've found out about Lisa, but I think that answers my question."
<Yarrun> He swivels towards Big with an outstretched hand
<Yarrun> "Zachary Weil, pleasure to meet you."
<Myrdradek> be back in a little bit
<Icon> Christa looks to Big, before turning to Zachary, expecting an answer. "Do continue."
<Yarrun> (Calica?)
<Calica> "They call me Big. Nice to meet you as well. I was actually just talking to Christa about the gang's homebase going up in flames."
Xeniera has joined #madokamadness
ChanServ sets mode: +o Xeniera
<Yarrun> "Don't get too happy about that. By the time the flames lit, the place was cleaned out. Lisa didn't lose shit."
<Yarrun> Zachary pauses for a moment
<Yarrun> "Oh, yeah, I was going to rob her place last night before it blew up in my face. Maybe I should have started with that."
<Yarrun> "Sorry, this morning was kind of rough
<Icon> "So, what are you in for, Zachary?" She repeats, tapping the edge of her book. "You want me to help you with something concerning Lisa?"
<Yarrun> Zachary shrugs
<Yarrun> "In the last 24 hours, I've stolen her best henchman, a few mooks, and her protection racket from her. I've also had most of that burned to the ground. Or murdered."
<Icon> "Impressive."
<Yarrun> "And considering this guy" Zach nods his head towards Big. "I'm betting you've been screwing her over too."
<Icon> "Well I suppose you could say as much."
<Yarrun> Zachary nods
<Myrdradek> Sorry I was gone guys, there was a meteor shower outside
<Yarrun> "As long as we're turning our respective...talents to the same goal, no reason we shouldn't coordinate our shit"
<Myrdradek> I saw a shooting star
<Calica> Myrdradek: sweet
<Icon> (No problem Myr.)
<Icon> Christa nods slowly. "Yes, that sounds rather reasonable." She responds carefully. Even if he's on her "side", Zachary... isn't the most trustworthy guy.
<Yarrun> "Okay, so Rip -- he's my new second-in-command -- doesn't have much else on her. The homebase was the big target, and that went..."
<Yarrun> "Fuck, I'm not going to make puns about me nearly dying."
<Calica> "You're dealing with Rip now?"
<Yarrun> "I kicked his ass until he agreed to work with me, yes. Now let me finish; it's rude to interrupt."
<Icon> (Snerk.)
<Yarrun> (Hey, that's exactly how it happened and you know it.)
<Yarrun> "I'm guessing you know Bob too. He got shot last night."
<Yarrun> "And cops were there suspiciously soon afterwards."
<Yarrun> Zachary pulls out a paper from his pocket
<Yarrun> "Name familiar to you?
<Icon> (Nah, snerked at the last part.)
<Calica> Yarrun: Are you asking Big or Christa (about Takahara, I assume?)
<Yarrun> Either of them
<Yarrun> Both
<Icon> "Can't say I recognize it."
<Calica> "I don't know shit about the pigs."
<Yarrun> Zach sighs
<Yarrun> "Well, best bet is to check the Melmoth archives again. I'll head over there as soon as Rip tells me what happened to Tom"
<Yarrun> "You in, Christa? Could always use some extra muscle"
<Icon> "And you have anything in mind, should I pull my weight as expected?" Granted, the Melmoth archives was ultimately on her list anyway, but Zachary... is certainly still the same.
<Icon> (The archives were the next target, yes?)
Juan has quit IRC (Quit: Leaving.)
<Yarrun> "...you're not asking for payment, are you?"
<Yarrun> "Look, shit's filled with arcane books. You know what Felix is capable of. Pick a book and I'll smuggle it out for you"
<Icon> "No no." Christa smiles. "That's all I was curious about. Appreciate it."
<Yarrun> "I mean, if you want a second job, I'm down with it."
<Yarrun> "I mean, not now, because all I have to pay you with are knockoff watches and kitsche shit, but once I get some money..."
<Icon> She nods, content in any case. "I'll keep that in mind. And what of you, Big?"
<Calica> "I'm in."
<Yarrun> "Good. You're definitely getting a job application at the end of this."
<Yarrun> "Okay, I'm going to make sure that Rip hasn't been assassinated while I was busy finding screaming people at 4 in the morning"
<Yarrun> "See ya" Zach yells as he runs out the door
Juan has joined #madokamadness
<Calica> Myrdradek: You still here?
<Myrdradek> Yes
<Myrdradek> I'm getting a little tired and I have an early day tomorrow though
<Calica> Okay, we can do the next scene as quickly as possible then.
<Myrdradek> Sure
<Calica> CentralAve: You'll be popping in soon too.
<Calica> David is sitting in the hospital when suddenly he gets a call from his boss, a graduate student working to digitize much of the history library named Leah Anderson.
<Calica> (fuck yeah connecting every dot here)
<Myrdradek> Hello?"
<Calica> "Hey. Is something up? You didn't come in to work today."
<CentralAve> Calica: (alright but i've only got ~an hour)
<Calica> CentralAve: yeah. if we need to cliffhang or whatever we can do that
<Myrdradek> "Yeah sorry, I got mugged, there was a minor altercation, and now I'm in the hospital. I can make it up once I'm out"
<Calica> "Yikes. Are you going to be okay? Is it serious?"
<Myrdradek> "I'll be fine, I'll be out of here in no time."
AttObl has joined #madokamadness
<Calica> "That's good. You know that super rich land developer guy, Phipps?"
<Myrdradek> "I know of him"
<Calica> "He called me and asked a bunch of weird questions about John Melmoth and the Melmoth collection. You seem to know way more about your family history than I do, so I was hoping you could accompany me later today, since he wants me to visit."
<Myrdradek> "Unless they physically prevent me from leaving the hospital, I'll be there"
<Calica> "Cool."
<Calica> FFWD>>
<Icon> (Centie's part seems like something that could be done in that time to me. She's spot-on with Helenizing the chat.)
<CentralAve> (I like how Helenizing is a verb now)
<Calica> David and Leah ascend the elevator and walk the creepy hall of mirrors to Peter's office.
<Calica> He is flanked by Helena and "Jessica".
<Calica> "Thanks for coming here! This is all off the record, of course."
<Myrdradek> David is going to mostly stay quiet unless asked a direct question. He doesn't want to screw this up
<Calica> "H-hello. This is David Melmoth, he knows more about the Melmoth stuff than I do, to be honest."
<Myrdradek> "It's in my family, after all"
<Calica> "Well then! Nice to meet you, Mister Melmoth!"
<Calica> Peter whispers to Helena. "Is this guy safe? Is he an Illuminati plant too?"
<Myrdradek> *pokes CentralAve*
<CentralAve> Helena doesn't want to disclose that she's met him before, but she's comfortable with David around. "He seems pretty trustworthy to me, sir. Call it a strange intuition."
<Calica> "Brilliant! So, we'd like to have access to, really to as much of John Melmoth's books as we can."
<Calica> "Isn't that right, Jessica?"
<Calica> "Jessica" speaks up. "Yeah. It's even possible that a family member might have books of his own we'd like to borrow."
Omnipresence-dev has quit IRC (Remote host closed the connection)
Omnipresence-dev has joined #madokamadness
Omnipresence-dev has quit IRC (Remote host closed the connection)
Omnipresence-dev has joined #madokamadness
<CentralAve> (I imagine Phipps being kinda like an evil Willy Wonka, since he's always so chipper and upbeat about this crap)
<Calica> Leah looks at them a bit quizically, not sure how to respond. She turns to David. "Do you have any idea why they're so interested in your family stuff? Most if it's gibberish!"
<Myrdradek> "Well you know, my family barked up a few odd trees, and some of them might be of historical interest at least. Translations of the Voynich manuscript and such, or something."
<Myrdradek> "I'd be interested in working with you on this, Mr. Phipps. I know my family history better than anyone, and I'm sure I could shed some light on some things" David is anxious not to get locked out here
<Calica> "That's great! It really is a tragedy that the Illuminati killed him. He could have been a force!"
Buttercupistiny has quit IRC (Read error: Connection reset by peer)
<Myrdradek> David laughs uncomfortably "Yes, he was a great man, I think we can agree on that."
Buttercupistiny has joined #madokamadness
ChanServ sets mode: +o Buttercupistiny
<Calica> "At any rate, can we trust you to keep this a secret from the University and the police?"
<Myrdradek> "Well, I won't mention it if you won't" David tries to be as charming as he can be and gives his most winning smile
<Calica> "T-this is going to be illegal? I'm not sure I want to be part of this."
<Calica> "Jessica" moves around and puts her hands on Leah's shoulders, staring her in the eye. "Tell the cops or the university and I kill you."
<Myrdradek> David is kind of panicked now, and doesn't know how to respond
<Calica> Peter is a bit thrown off by her brazenness. "You don't need to be so forward, Jessica! Anyways. The plan is that we steal from the collection the books that are truly valuable and the University just doesn't understand."
<Myrdradek> "I, uh, I think I could be of assistance with that." David curses himself for not expecting things to get heavy so soon
<Calica> Leah stares at him, about to say something, but then looks at "Jessica" and closes her mouth.
<Calica> "M-may I be excused?" "Sure!" Leah decides to walk out instead.
<Calica> Myrdradek, CentralAve: Do you want to continue this next session? I know at least Myrdradek and myself are getting kinda tired tbh
<Myrdradek> Sure
<CentralAve> I'm running out of time so that would be fine with me
<Calica> Alright. Next session Monday as usual. Thanks for playing.