I am altering the deal. Pray I do not alter it further.

[Sierra]

<Cidward> The night passes peacefully, Erin and Nadia resting without interruption in their luxurious suite with a view while Yomi and Rena make do with a cheap motel on the outskirts of town. Everyone is greeted with a dreary day upon waking, the sky overcast with a light rain pestering the city.
<Cidward> (OOC: have any particular plans for the day? Arrival of Ivo and company is four days away as per available information.)
<Yomi> OOC: If we don't want to look for anything unusual here, I'll train Rena in how to stab things better
<Nadia_Chekova> Since Ivo has been here before, Nadia decides to try and find out about previous visits and what mischief those wacky nazis have gotten up to.
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12 GI
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 GI and gets 18."12 [1d20=6]
<Nadia_Chekova> As the group reconvenes after Nadia performs her bizarre secret sorcery to divine information from the hearts of men, she reports her findings. "It seems like whenever Ivo visits in the past, he visits local politicians and then they die," she remarks. "His last friend was the mayor, who's dying of some debilitating disease even as we speak."
<Yomi> "And people still let him visit?" Yomi asks what seems to be the obvious question.
<Erin> "The evidence may only be circumstantial," notes Erin, glumly. "He's rich enough to line his way with gold."
<Nadia_Chekova> "If they die of strange diseases then it can only be coincidence, surely?" Nadia asks sarcastically. "Still, if we can find a way to visit the mayor ourselves - assuming he's not in a coma - we may learn more."
* Yomi glances at Nadia. "I believe the only possible way for me to make my way there is as your maid. Want to hire me? I'd make a pretty good one, if I might say so myself."
<Erin> "If he is staying at a hospital, we could disguise ourselves as nurses," offers Erin.
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'd feel very safe with a maid such as yourself serving me," Nadia nods agreeably. "We'd have to get more appropriate clothes for you, though - that sailor themed dress is bizarre."
<Yomi> "Really? I quite like it, myself," Yomi admits, looking down at it. "There's just something about facing off demons while wearing it. But I'm quite flexible in this aspect."
<Nadia_Chekova> "It reminds me of those American cartoons with the duck," Nadia replies. "Anyway, why doesn't Erin take you to get something more servile while I find out where we can find Mayor Nair?"
<Erin> "It isn't as though we're in Mecca anymore. Wear what feels good, I say!" replies Erin, patting down her floral blouse. "True, we don't have too much choice in our outfits when it comes to these deceptions, but the rest of the time..."
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: strike
<Nadia_Chekova> "It reminds me of those American cartoons with the duck," Nadia replies. "Anyway, he's at his house, so we're probably best off going there as simple well-wishers."
<Cidward> Rena shrugs at Erin. "When I did that at home it caused problems."
* Erin waves Rena off. "It is only a problem for those who gaze upon you with small minds. Besides, what did you wear?"
<Cidward> "Nothing. It was an awkward day."
* Nadia_Chekova shakes her head sadly at Rena's continual strangeness.
<Yomi> Having expected that, Yomi nods at Rena's words. "Don't dress like that outside, yes."
<Cidward> "I have learned this, yes."
<Erin> "Well, the minds of society in general is... ah, but there's the weather to consider!" replies Erin, standing up and turning to the door. "Anyway, shall we head along?"
<Cidward> Mayor Nair's personal residence is a gaudy Victorian townhouse in a row of similar buildings located in an elite quarter of the city. An aged British manservant answers the door at your knock. "Yes?" he says, looking over the lot of you skeptically. "We were not expecting guests today."
* Nadia_Chekova allows her accent to slip through, because everyone loves the French. "Bonjour!" she gives the man her most radiant smile, "We were visiting 'zis lovely city when we heard of 'ze esteemed Mayor's 'ealth problems! We wished to pay our respects, no?" she concludes, coquettishly batting her eyelashes at him.
<Cidward> A long moment's consideration in which the dusty old butler seems unmoved, but then: "Master Nair is currently indisposed. Lady Vera my inclined to entertain guests, however. You names are...?"
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ah, oui!" Nadia nods and gestures to herself, "I am Florence Bruni! These are my friends, Greta Merkel and Mary O'Mallory," she gives everyone fake names because why not. Except Yomi, because she doesn't count.
<Cidward> "One moment, please," the butler says, sounding a few steps away from death by old age himself. He steps aside, letting you all into the entryway and leading you to a cozy sitting room with a fireplace once coats have been taken off. The interior decorating is elegant, but subdued and dark with most of the curtains closed. It's rather depressing, actually. (more)
<Cidward> He disappears upstairs, and soon after an attractive young brunette in a fine green dress walks down with her hand on the bannister. "Greetings," she says. "I apologize for acting as intermediary. It's necessary to weed out the gossipmongers."
* Nadia_Chekova hands her coat off to Yomi and nods to her fellow attractive young brunette. "There is no offence," she assures the woman, "We are not here for gossip, non. Are you the Lady Vera?"
* Yomi accepts it with a slight bow and folds it expertly, keeping her wrapped-up bundle below it, before moving out of the way gracefully once more.
<Cidward> "I am. Might I ask what brings you here? To our fair city and to my house? Harris said you introduced yourselves as well-wishers. We've not had many of those lately, I must admit."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ah, well," Nadia nods sadly, "We do naturally hope the good Mayor recovers, but I understand he was recently visited by a German doctor - the same doctor who also visited the now deceased Mr Hoek and Mr Koehlen, oui?"
<Cidward> Vera frowns. "I'm not at all sure who you mean. We've stuck with the old family doctor and he's quite stumped by Howard's condition."
<Erin> "The mayor did not, ah, have correspondance with a certain Dr. Ivo?" asks Erin, with a slight raise of her head.
<Cidward> "Oh, yes," Vera nods in recognition. "Though Kaspar never visited in any medical capacity, and it's been at least a year since we saw him."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Ah, a year ago?" Nadia looks thoughtful. "Perhaps it's merely coincidence, then. Would it be too presumptuous if we were to ask what business Doctor Ivo had with the mayor?"
<Cidward> "Well, I wasn't privy to all their conversations. Something of a shared hobby, I believe. I gather Kaspar is some sort of expert on the occult back in Europe and Howard has a passing interest in such things. Silly nonsense, really," she says dismissively. "That and sharing his thoughts on maintaining the balance of our delicate ethnic situation here, of course."
* Nadia_Chekova looks hopefully at 'Mary' to jump on the occult connection.
<Erin> "Ah, of course!" says Erin, nodding thoughtfully to herself. "Dr. Ivo is a learned academic on such matters, from what I have heard, so it would seem quite natural for him to seek out fellow, er, hobbiests, I suppose you might say. You might say it is silly, but there are hosts of scholars in the universities on those topics back in Europe, you know."
<Cidward> "Oh, I know. Personally I think people should find more constructive hobbies," she adds under her breath.
<Erin> "Ah, perhaps they should, but there is a certain fascination," replies Erin. "You wouldn't have any idea on the specifics, would you? If it's not too rude to ask," she adds, belatedly.
<Yomi> Ah, the irony! And while her husband might be dying from one of those occultish maladies. But he's presuming to think himself better than her, so it's difficult for Yomi to care.
<Cidward> She shakes her head. "No, not much. I know he attended seminars of some sort every Friday evening. I could not say what they entailed."
<Nadia_Chekova> "Do these seminars still run?" Nadia asks, considering it a potential lead if they get desperate.
<Cidward> "I don't actually know. I keep less track of these matters than ever now that Howard can't be actively involved, not to mention with William and Charles passing away some months past, god rest them." She pauses for a moment. "You seem a decent enough sort. I don't imagine he'll be in a mood to say much himself, but if you'd like to see him it may help him to hear some encouragement. Most of our social circle seems to have decided he's already passed on," she says with some bitterness.
<Cidward>  Most of our social circle seems to have decided he's already passed on," she says with some bitterness.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Of course," Nadia smiles nicely, "A few friendly faces and words of encouragement might well give him the pep-up he needs!"
<Cidward> "Very well." She starts upstairs. "If your maid could remain here?" she says, gesturing towards Yomi.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Don't worry about her, she's very well behaved," Nadia reassures their hostess as she climbs up the stairs.
* Erin gives Yomi an apologetic glance, before heading up the stairs alongside Nadia.
<Cidward> Vera leads Erin and Nadia upstairs (while an ever-vigilant butler monitors Yomi, apparently to ensure that she doesn't steal anything while left unattended) and into a dark bedroom. A sour, rotten smell assaults your nostrils as soon as you enter, and though there's little light to see by with the curtains drawn, you can get enough detail to know that the figure resting in the canopied bed is in dire shape. (more)
<Cidward> Wasted and emaciated, it's hard to believe the man is even still living, but a wet, slow breathing testifies to the fact that yes, he still is somehow. The very air around him feels corrupted and the sheets immediately next to his arms are littered with small flakes that you can only hope are not patches of dessicated skin. His eyes are still alert enough, however, and look up at you when you enter.
<Cidward> "Howard," Vera says gently, sounding a little fragile, "we've visitors from Europe. They heard about your condition and came all the way just to wish you well. Isn't that nice?"
* Yomi occupies herself with waiting quietly, but that only last a moment. Afterwards, she begins to wonder about the room aimlessly, never approaching anything that might be considered valuable, for the sole reasons of annoying the watchful butler as much as his scrutiny annoys her, and of covering more ground with her senses. After the last manor she went to, Yomi can't be too careful!
* Erin raises a mouth to her lips, preventing a gasp; it feels almost perfunctionary, though, given the horror she witnessed just recently.
<Nadia_Chekova> Oh God, it's all Nadia can do not to throw up and run for her life. Praying that what he has isn't contagious, she approaches the bed but manages to maintain a healthy one metre distance. "Bonjour, Mayor Nair," she composes her voice enough to speak. "I am Florence, this is Gretel and Mary. We... we had no idea your condition was so severe."
<Cidward> There's an awkward *glurgle* as an atrophied tongue tries and fails to form words. Some desperation is apparent in his eyes as he loks from one of you to the other, but he seems unable to say anything.
<Nadia_Chekova> He can't talk, they'll learn nothing here. "Please," she holds up her hand, "Do not exert yourself on our behalf. You must conserve your strength."
<Erin> "I.. I'm sorry. I thought we could have a discussion, at least," murmurs Erin. "Particularly about Kaspar, but we cannot trouble you."
<Cidward> Vera's smile is increasingly poor a mask as time goes on. "You don't need to say anything, dear. I'm sorry to disturb you. I just wanted you to know that there are still friends out there who haven't forgotten about us!" She turns and nods Erin and Nadia back towards the door, her expression cracking once she's no longer facing her husband.
<Nadia_Chekova> "We hope you recover soon," Nadia nods to the wretched invalid, offering him as much a smile as she can under the circumstances before she retreats.
* Erin keeps glancing back at the man until she departs the room, burning the image into her mind as a symbol of what must happen when evil men seek out magic.
<Cidward> Vera closes the door and leads you back downstairs. "I'm sorry he was in no shape to talk," she says as you head back down to the sitting room (where a watchful butler eyes Yomi like a hawk still). "I...thought it would be good for him to be reminded that there is still a world outside his sickbed. Perhaps I was wrong."
<Nadia_Chekova> "He looked upset that he couldn't talk back," Nadia nods glumly. "I am sorry, we did not wish to make things more difficult."
<Cidward> She shakes her head. "I am not sure they can be more difficult. It does me some small good to see the outside world hasn't entirely forsaken us, at least."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I wish we could have been more help, it is probably best if we leave now," Nadia decides. She really wants a bath or a shower.
<Erin> "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that just yet," replies Erin, glancing at their host. "I have a request that may seem selfish. Did he have a study, or some place where he kept his research on the occult?"
<Cidward> "Oh, nothing specifically devoted to it...He merely had a few books in the library, as far as I'm aware," she says. Vera leads you into a neighboring room with bookshelves lining one wall and directs Erin to a particular shelf. There are about a dozen books devoted to topics like the history of alchemy and witchunting, but it's all basically general reference material to someone as learned as Erin.
<Cidward> Finally, everyone makes their farewells and exits the house, claustrophobic as it is with its air of sickness and miasma. Even the cold rain is a refreshing change after that. (OOC: doiny anything particular for the rest of the day? Going separate ways/staying together or what?)
<Nadia_Chekova> OOC: I must make use of Ivo's bath!
<Erin> OOC: Maybe not today. GI those seminars, maybe?
<Nadia_Chekova> roll 1d20+12 info about occult seminars after I've washed
* Hatbot --> "Nadia_Chekova rolls 1d20+12 info about occult seminars after I've washed and gets 22."12 [1d20=10]
* Nadia_Chekova reports back after her investigations. "There seem to be strange meetings between local politicians - not quite the academic seminars that Vera talked of, from what I understand. But nobody I talked to knows where these meetings are held."
<Erin> "As long as we can tail one of the politicians, it'd be a simple thing to figure that out."
<Cidward> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Cidward rolls 1d100 and gets 13."12 [1d100=13]
<Cidward> It's after meeting at a restaraunt to share information one last time that it happens. You're paying your tab, shoving chairs back, getting ready to head back to your accomodations for the night when a group of uniformed policemen enter the establishment and walk right up to the four of you as though seeking you out--well, just two of you, as it turns out: (more)
<Cidward> "Yomi Isayama? Erin Callahan?" the lead officer says impassively, looking from one of you to the other. "I'll need you both to come with us." He's flanked by five other officers, all of them obviously armed.
<Nadia_Chekova> "What's the meaning of this?" Nadia demands stridently.
<Erin> "Pardon me?" asks Erin, briefly confused. "What do you want?"
<Yomi> People who would actually get answered are speaking, so Yomi calmly waits to hear what this is about.
<Cidward> "You're wanted for questioning as witnesses in relation to a crime. There doesn't need to be any trouble if you cooperate."
<Yomi> "Pardon me, but I'm allowed to be a witness in your courts?" Yomi asks, genuinely confused. It seems like she gets the worst of both worlds, no place to sleep in but all the burdens of civic duty.
<Erin> "A crime? Here in Capetown?" asks Erin, confused. "Well... if we must, but I really don't know..."
<Cidward> "At the very least, you could provide us with information that leads to viable suspects," the lead officer says to Yomi. "If you'll both come with me, I can provide you with more details at the station." He gestures outside, where a pair of police trucks are idling.
<Nadia_Chekova> Considering they haven't given their real names to anyone in South Africa, this sounds very suspicious to Nadia. "We want to see your warrants, first," she insists. "If my companions had seen any crime I'm sure they'd have mentioned it."
<Cidward> He turns his gaze on Nadia, looking professionally displeased with interference. "Please do not attempt to hamper an official investigation."
* Yomi stands up, finding this part reasonable, and inclines her head. "Of course. In that case, I would be happy to assist in any investigation as a proper guest of this country."
<Erin> "We're a little, ah, busy at the moment. Would it be alright if we came down later?" asks Erin, glancing worriedly at Nadia.
<Cidward> "I'm afraid not," he says to Erin. "Any delay in our investigation could result in a suspect fleeing the city. We need whatever information you might have as soon as possible. Please come with us." Two of the men flank Yomi and gesture to the door.
<Nadia_Chekova> "As my companion's legal counsel I'm afraid I must insist," Nadia asserts. "This is supposed to be a civilised country, yes? Not some dark pit where the savages do as they please with no thought for natural law?"
<Cidward> He sighs in obvious irritation. "Citizen, stop attempting to interfere or I'll have you arrested for obstructing police business." To Erin: "If you're ready?" it's not so much a question as it is a statement of fact, judging by the way he says it.
* Yomi delays just long enough to see what Erin intends to do.
<Nadia_Chekova> So much for fast talking. Well, she has that teleorb, so they won't be out of contact. Looking rather put out, Nadia goes to stand by Rena.
<Erin> Erin appears to be like a deer caught in the headlights, unsure whether to run away or stay where she is and be hit by an oncoming truck. "I.. am, I think," she replies, fidgeting.
* Yomi adopts a calm, accomodating expression and allows herself to be lead outside.
<Cidward> A nod. "Very good," he says, casting a long glance over Nadia and Rena before leaving. The other men lead Erin and Yomi outside and guide each into the back of a truck, each finding themselves in the back compartment with two watchful officers keeping an eye on them. You can't really see where you're going from inside, but both trucks soon rumble into motion. (more)
<Cidward> After about half an hour of driving, both trucks slow to a halt. Erin sees the outside again first--one of the officers opens the rear of the truck and you find yourself outside...a rather anonymous building. You're at the back of it, where no one put any thought to prettying things up because only public workers and deliverymen would ever see this side of it. Four more officers are waiting outside to lead you inside the back door.
<Cidward> Four more officers are waiting outside to lead you inside the back door.
* Nadia_Chekova quickly leads Rena outside, first watching which way the trucks go before she darts into an alleyway and takes out the telecom orb. "Keep watch so we're not disturbed," she tells Rena before contacting Erin's orb. "Don't say anything!" she instructs in a whisper, "I'll monitor you this way."
<Cidward> Rena nods and commences careful surveillance of the pedestrians out on the streets this evening.
<Cidward> Erin is soon lead into some manner of multipurpose public building which is nevertheless abundantly not a police station; you pass by what seems like the backstage area of a large audience hall and through a grimy maintenance area before being taken up a flight of stairs to a more upscale floor obviously designed with the entertainment of local luminaries in mind. You are eventually left in a bedroom of all things, the door clicking shut as someone locks it from the outside and you're momentarily left to your own devices. (more)
<Cidward>  the door clicking shut as someone locks it from the outside and you're momentarily left to your own devices. (more)
<Cidward> This accomplished, the guards (six of them still, there do seem to be a lot around here) gather outside around Yomi's truck and open the door, motioning her inside and leading her, assuming she offers no resistance, along the same route that Erin took. Stopping at the stairs, the officer from the restaraunt drones, "We'll need to take your weapons here. Safety precaution."
<Yomi> "And who said that I have a weapon?" Yomi inquires politely.
<Cidward> He sighs. "IF you have a weapon, you are obliged to relinquish it for the duration of your questioning," he says.
<Yomi> "Oh, I see." Yomi nods. "I'll be sure to remember that if I bring a weapon along the next time I am required to be questioned, if this occurs."
<Cidward> Another sigh. "Search her, please," the lead officer says, one of the men walking over to give Yomi the standard pat-down, the others watching carefully for any trouble. Upstairs, there's a polite knock at Erin's door and the turning of the lock.
<Erin> "Yes?" asks Erin, a tad curiously.
* Yomi is ever-watchful that no bad touching is going on, because that would be the limit of her civility.
<Cidward> An officer opens Erin's door; two of them step inside and stand on either side of the entrance before a handsome, thirtyish woman with a head full of red curls and a simple but elegant white dress walks in. (more)
<Cidward> She's followed very closely by a much younger woman, perhaps no more than late in her teens and not as fair to look at, with dull brown hair, snub-nosed and moon-faced. She wears plain workman's clothes and an expression of open hostility. "I am sorry about all this skullduggery," the redhead says, "but I needed you off the streets as quickly as possible."
<Cidward> The officer is at least not rude enough to engage in any obvious groping, though it doesn't take him long to take a close interest in Yomi's possessions and lift that wrapped bundle off her back. He pulls the sword out enough to display the hilt, at which the lead officer nods. They soon continue leading you through the building, but heading dosntairs to a dingy basement with low ceilings.
<Erin> "I trust there is a good reason for this," replies Erin, sounding very slightly angry.
<Yomi> "I am terribly sorry to trouble you in the execution of your duties," Yomi says amiably, "but I cannot allow myself to be parted with it. For you, it might be a weapon, but for me it is an artifact that I cannot allow to fall into anyone's hands. It is a matter of honor."
<Cidward> "Yes. I thought you might be interested in not dying at the barrel of a German gun," she says, not in the least perturbed by Erin's tone. "Forgive me, but I must ensure that you're not armed. Do hand over any weapons you may have brought along with you, please?" She motions an officer towards you.
<Erin> "I refuse," replies Erin, point-blank. "Why should I trust you with my weapon? If you have an interest in my welfare, then explain it. I am not the one pulling people off the streets! I understand-" she adds, narrowing her eyes- "That you have the power to take us by force. Make it clear, right now, if we are here as prisoners, or as.. what, exactly?"
<Cidward> The lead officer draws his gun, as do the four other men not involved in searching Yomi, and takes up a position about fifteen feet away from her. "It will be well taken care of," he says, clearly done with patience and the whole charade. "You'll be better off if you cooperate. Our orders don't involve killing you."
<Yomi> "Listen up," Yomi says calmly. "If you know this much about me, then you would know that it would take you six all the luck in the world to take me on and live. And yet, knowing it was a pretense, I came along quietly. So why don't you go ask the one who's really giving the orders around here if they would see me as an equal, and not as some dumb, chained up servant girl?
<Yomi> I'll wait here with my belongings as you do."
<Cidward> The redhead tsks. "I'd hoped for better manners from a fellow practitioner. Very well. I'll just have to take precautions." She gestures in the air for a moment and mutters quietly before resuming her normal tone of voice.
<Yomi> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Yomi rolls 1d20+10 and gets 12."12 [1d20=2]
<Cidward> roll 1d20+5+2 there are lots of them
* Hatbot --> "Cidward rolls 1d20+5+2 there are lots of them and gets 11."12 [1d20=4]
<Erin> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+13 and gets 33."12 [1d20=20]
<Erin> "YOU would have better- oh, Grace, your pupil has found another wonder."
<Cidward> One of the guards shifts uncomfortably. "What's she going to do anyway, cut her way out through a concrete wall?" The lead officer grunts. "Fine. But you move ahead of us, hands in the air. Now go." He directs Yomi downstairs and along a hall that seems to make a circuit of the basement before stopping at a heavy metal door.
* Yomi has no trouble abiding by such instructions. And she can actually cut through a concrete wall, so she can see a way to escape if things get dire. "Am I here as a guest or prisoner?" she feels the need to ask.
<Cidward> The redhead laughs. "I am, aren't I?" She turns and, with a wave, dismisses the officers, though the younger girl lingers for a moment, looking unhappy. "I am capable of taking care of myself, Hazel," the redhead says. "Rest assured that will I take comfort from your eagerness to save me from any unexpected trouble. Go on." Once you're along, she offers her hand to Erin. "Justine."
<Cidward> *alone
<Erin> "You seem to know me well enough," replies Erin, glancing down at the hand, and reluctantly shaking it.
<Cidward> One of the officers in the basement unlocks and opens the metal door, which swings outwards with the creak of rusty joints."Guest," the lead man says. "As long as you behave."
* Yomi steps inside the cell that belies that status, turning around to incline her head at the cops.
<Cidward> "Oh, I know OF you. I have relatives and contacts in England. I made inquiries once I was told your name and learned enough to decide I should meet you myself before making up your mind. I can't do anything for your friend, however."
<Cidward> *making up my mind
<Erin> "Ah, yes, my friend. Where is she?" asks Erin. "Why is she not also here?"
<Cidward> The cell is plain, damp, and cramped. It might once have been a storage room of some sort. There's a very thin (but at least clean) pallet on a wooden cot, and a rickety wooden chair and table. Not much to look at.
<Yomi> Unfortunate, truly. Yomi tests the table and whether it would hold her weight, before leaping lightly to seat herself atop it.
<Cidward> "She's downstairs," Justine says dismissively. "She's of no real interest to me but I also have no reason to harm her. My men tell me you were speaking with two others when you were acquired. Were these travelling acquaintences, or locals?"
<Cidward> The table teeters precariously and groans in protest, but holds. The position affords you a fine view of the eye-level slot in the door and a blank expanse of wall outside, the only thing you can see beyond your cell.
<Yomi> Yomi will wait until contacted by Nadia, or until she gets hungry, assuming nothing else happens before then.
<Erin> "Would it be too much trouble to have her brought up here?" replies Erin, pointedly not answering Justine's question.
<Cidward> Justine shakes her head. "I don't know enough about her or you yet to trust that you wouldn't cause trouble if reunited. And, I will be perfectly be blunt, you'd best resign yourself to not seeing her again." (more)
<Cidward> "Some time ago, one of my former confederates invited a company of German soldiers to come visiting. They're due to arrive in a metter of days. I have to give them *something* to send them on their way, but I believe I can at least save you if you cooperate."
<Nadia_Chekova> Since the talk Erin's getting is boding very poorly for Yomi, Nadia decides to switch her focus over to Miss Japan 1936 to make sure she's safe.
<Cidward> Yomi's having a grand old time. Sitting! Looking at things! Then looking at the same things again!
<Yomi> Counting down from a thousand, Yomi has reached one. Again.
<Nadia_Chekova> "Yomi!" Nadia hisses into the link, "You've been captured by Nazi sympathisers! One's talking to Erin and saying they plan to hand you over to Ivo and his goons when they arrive in a few days!"
<Yomi> Ah, excellent. Her blade would be well taken care of, indeed. "I'll probably get tired of this in an hour, give or take," she speaks up. "There are only so many ways to practice my math skills before falling to boredom."
<Nadia_Chekova> "I'm going to switch back to Erin to try and learn more, talk to you soon," Nadia reassures Yomi she hasn't been forgotten then returns her focus to Erin.
<Erin> Erin is silent for a very long moment, but she is rather unable to hide a vicious grimace when looking at the woman across from her. "So it is the german bullet for your forehead you seek to avoid, then."
<Cidward> "I can't afford to have any trouble with them. My men are *quite* prepared to deal with an armed incursion if one should fall upon me, but the local attention this would bring to me would be disastrous. I need them placated and on their way quietly."
<Erin> "Why would the Germans do anything to you?" asks Erin, pointedly. "They could not extort you for something you do not have. It would have been easy for you to ignore our presence."
<Cidward> She grimaces. "Before I was able to silence him, I'm afraid that one of my former partners promised that scrawny little scientist my book. I can't have him taking that. He's expecting to receive *something* when his soldiers convene here and I'm not going to risk a violent reaction by sending him away empty-handed. I'm hoping an enemy will suffice. We received word to watch for the two of you several days ago." (more)
<Cidward> "They may be placated if I hand over your friend. You could have, I don't know, been killed attempting to escape or something along those lines."
<Erin> "Allow me to make something perfectly clear, then. As long as you walk away with your scalps intact, then there is no problem." Erin snorts. "What sort of German team are you expecting to receive, in terms of numbers?"
<Cidward> "I don't have a full accounting of their numbers. Howard was closer to them than I am and I gather they have numerous teams scattered about the continent. Though Ivo's outfit should come with at least three dozen men, I believe."
<Erin> "They want a spellbook, I am assuming from your words," replies Erin, frowning. "And they are around four days away, to my knowledge. A bit of hard work and a lot of coffee, and we could put together a duplicate, or a reasonably fascimile."
<Cidward> "I'm afraid that's not acceptable. It's not an ordinary book, and not something whose contents I want in anyone's hands but mine."
<Erin> "Then that would put us at an impasse," points out Erin. "What knowledge is so valuable that it's worth a life?"
<Cidward> "I suppose I should show you," she says. "You may understand better that way." Justine stands and walks to the door, leaving the brown-haired girl on watch while she's gone. Her expression hasn't changed much; she seems to consider your presence a personal affront. She disappears once Justine returns with a heavy, aged tome bound in cracked leather. (more)
<Cidward> Justine places the book on a table in the center of the room and sits down. The book bears no title, but flipping through the pages-- (OOC: K:A here).
<Erin> roll 1d20+14
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d20+14 and gets 19."12 [1d20=5]
<Erin> roll 1d6+3 ACTION POINT HASHAAAAAAA
* Hatbot --> "Erin rolls 1d6+3 ACTION POINT HASHAAAAAAA and gets 4."12 [1d6=1]
<Erin> "Why do you even still have this?" asks Erin, glancing at the book with some disgust. "It should be destroyed... ugh, obviously, the Germans can't have it. However, I have a plan that should allow you to legitimately cover your bases. I would suppose the Germans do not really want to take you on either, no?"
<Cidward> "Why would I destroy it?" Justine says, incredulous. "It's been inestimably useful so far. As for the Germans, I doubt they would hesitate to act if they felt they had to. I've taken pains to conceal the extent of my organization here."
<Erin> "Curses are an evil magic," replies Erin, flatly. "They can do nothing- *nothing*- but bring about pain and suffering, to the user as well as their targets. But, I'm sure you've heard that already," she responds, with a frown. "Well, then. I propose this. You captured myself and Yomi. But when Ivo arrives, you are incredulous, and report to him that he visited just yesterday, ahead of schedule."
<Erin> "The prisoners have already left!"
<Cidward> "It's merely a tool," Justine says with a shrug. "As for your plan...elaborate, please?"
<Erin> "What is there to elaborate on? You are a mage, so you must know a thing or two about magic," responds Erin. "The illusion that 'Ivo' has already arrived in town, and in fact has been here for days is simple for me to establish. The premise of the plan is that you are fooled by an imposter; a false 'Ivo' who claims his prizes before the real one arrives." (More.)
<Erin> "Substantial evidence is already be in place to correlate this, so the real Ivo would not have reason to doubt your claim. If, at that point, he would choose to eliminate or attack you anyway... well, could you really trust him not to do that anyway, even if you complied?"
<Cidward> "There's no obvious reason for them to attack once they've been given something they want," Justine counters. "And I do take less of a risk that way than by attempting such a wholesale deception as you propose. I need to see how I benefit more from your plan than from proceeding as I'd already decided, Erin. If you can convince me of that..."
<Erin> "That would depend on how much you value two things. First, how the White Eagle Lodge comes to see you," replies Erin. "And second, you should realise that Ivo has an interest in many other occult works and artifacts, items that we are interested in taking from him." She stretches her arms. "There is the matter, of course, that what Ivo is doing may threaten the very world, but you seem-"
<Erin> "-like you'd be more interested in tangibles."
<Cidward> "Results I can see are the best kind," Justine affirms with a smile. "We have time still. I'll consider this...I *will* have to keep you on the grounds until I've made up my mind, of course. Nothing personal, you understand, merely pragmatism." she stands and heads for the door. "I'll have an answer for you in the morning."