Sunday Bloody Sunday

[Carthrat]

Sunday Night, and the downtown areas of Berlin are looking as pretty as usual; that is to say, there's a constant smell of smoke and smog wafting through the air; neon lights bright enough for any American city constantly flicker through the fog. So much for the European reputation of charm and grace; as the downtown area in a capital city, this part of Berlin seems to be quite able to do without it.

Despite the 'attractiveness' of this place, there's no lack of people walking around. The evening has really just begun; it's only about six-sevenish. Groups of teenagers wander about, dropping in random cafes and shops, quite willing to spend their parents hard-earned-money. Plenty of 9-5 blue and white-collar workers dot the streets, and most of them are smoking. Dozens of men dressed heavily in black coats wander around, the majority of which look simply tired.

Among them is one Cadfael Matthew Bowan, who has probably seen better days. Maybe. At least nobody is trying to kill/recruit him today, or in the past few weeks.

That seems to be about to change, though. As he drifts for alley to alley, he keeps noticing out the corner of his eye the same guy trailing after him. Dusty white hat and sleek black shades keep his face virtually hidden from any view, and while he seems to know how to be a tail, he doesn't seem to realise that Cadfael has spotted him at all. A slight glimpse reveals a bulge in his pocket that looks suspiciously like a handgun..

[Bjorn]

Stopping outside the closest cafe, Cadfael reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet to tally his limited supply of cash -- it doesn't take long.  When he returns the wallet to his long, battered trenchcoat, he leaves his hand in his pocket, and with practiced ease locates the stone engraved with a Rune of Obscuring he carries for eventualities much like this.

With a look of flat-eyed apathy that only the chronic prey and goth teenagers can muster, he stands in front of the doorway to the cafe, heedless of the people he's blocking.  He scans the area about the door, looking for a menu -- and also for a window or mirror that might show him the man who's tailing him.

Active runes are currently Stone's Steadfastness and Mystic Sight, as a reminder.

[Carthrat]

The constant fog blurs the windows and makes specific features difficult to pick out.

However, Cadfael picks out the guy; he's wearing black (like everyone else), but the white hat and expensive shades are what made him stand out. He's also smoking (like almost everyone else), but it's an expensive cigar (like nobody else).

He's approaching at a leisurely pace. He'll catch up to Cadfael in a few seconds. There's no aura of magic about him... but despite that, Cadfael can feel the hairs on the back of his neck rising a little.

[Bjorn]

It's unfortunate, Cadfael reflects, that he hasn't had time since that stupid scuffle in Hamburg to remake some runes for dealing with purely physical threats.  But then, it's always better to try to avoid using magic anyways...

Reflexively, he reaches up to adjust the collar of his jacket, making sure that it's turned down and pulled away from his neck so that the Glyph of Peace is easy to see.  Then he steps into the cafe, intent on getting his back to a wall, or better yet, a corner.

[Carthrat]

A corner seat in a lonely-looking coffee shop isn't hard to find. A waitress drops by; "Can I get you something, honey?" Worn features don't conceal an earlier beauty on her, but both age and life seem to have taken their toll.

The tail doesn't step into the cafe, though. He hangs about outside, as far as Cadfael can tell; doesn't stick around in front of the door or window.

[Bjorn]

"Coffee," Cadfael says quietly, without looking at the waitress.  He pulls out his notepad without further ado, and pulls a pen from a pocket on the inside of his jacket, tapping it against the paper as if considering what to write.

[Carthrat]

The waitress takes your order, and promptly returns with a black coffee. It's not that hot, and there's no sugar.

The tail doesn't make a reappearance, though.

[Bjorn]

Poor coffee is still money spent, so Cadfael drinks the lukewarm stuff.  As he slowly sips it, he circumspectly studies the coffee house, looking for a back exit, and studying the other patrons.

[Carthrat]

There aren't many patrons, and nobody else seems to be coming in. There's a couple of businessmen here, sipping coffee with thinly-veiled irritation, probably at the drink. There's also a woman with a baby, who's sleeping in a pram next to her table.

A back exit might be in the kitchen, which is behind a bar and looks fairly dark. Still, it extends in the opposite direction from the entrance. Another option might be the toilets, which are apparently located behind a side door. If they're as grungy as the rest of the place, though, they're probably disgusting.

Nope, this isn't a place anyone would want to spend an evening.

[Bjorn]

Mentally, Cadfael shrugs.  Better safe than sorry, anyways.  With a quick and practiced hand he traces out the Rune of Obscuring on his notepad, and when no one is looking, activates it.

[Carthrat]

While Cadfael doesn't vanish into thin air, nobody seems to notice him after that rune.

Well, just now, it didn't seem like anyone was paying much attention to him anyway.

[Bjorn]

Draining the last of his coffee, Cadfael rises from the table.  Without leaving any money (since, after all, he has no plans to come back to this place), he makes his way over to the kitchen.  When the door is opened, he slides in and examines the situation.

[Carthrat]

As Cadfael enters the kitchen, he hears a little confusion behind him; "Wasn't there a guy there a minute ago? I don't think he paid..."

The kitchen, surprisingly, isn't a mess. It's actually kinda neat- apart from the coffee machine, which looks like it might've seen better days.

There's an emergency exit in the back, accompanied with one of those 'Alarm will sound if door opens' signs. It looks like it's hooked up to some electric box, too.

[Bjorn]

No disturbances, thinks Cadfael, and he reverses the process, making his way back out of the kitchen, and from there, out the front door.

Once outside the cafe, he steps to the side, careful not to let others bump into him, and scans up and down the street for his shadow.

[Carthrat]

Cadfael's tail is talking into a phone, sounding a touch annoyed. It's difficult to make out what he's saying above all the hubub of downtown Berlin, though.