Scene Two
Scene Three
Scene Four
Scene Five
Scene Six
Scene Seven
Scene Eight
Scene Nine
Scene Ten
Scene Eleven
Chapter Five: Discoveries
Scene One: Bishop Esquer's Office
mgrasso> The crash of the picture window echoes in all your ears. Gemma, who was advancing on her uncle, is the only one close enough to snag him.
* Gemma makes a grab for the bishop
mgrasso> Gemma, Dex + Brawl, diff. 6
Gemma> !dice 3 6
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 3d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 4 8 7
mgrasso> Gemma grabs her uncle's hand, grasping it tightly as his body slumps out of the window. Strength check, Gemma, diff. 4.
Gemma> !dice 1 4
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 1d10 at difficulty 4. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 3
Gemma> (argh)
mgrasso> Willpower?
Gemma> yes
mgrasso> Do you have any left?
* Chet tries to go over and lend a hand.
Gemma> yes, my last one
* John belatedly lumbers over to help.
mgrasso> Gemma manages to hold on as Chet and John come over to aid the bishop in coming back into the office.
mgrasso> The door opens, and the secretary Lourdes charges in. "What's happening?"
* John half-turns and snarls, "Go. Away."
* Gemma looks over at Lourdes. "Uh ... nothing."
mgrasso> The bishop, with Gemma, Chet, and John huddled around him, is screaming "Monsters! Monsters, Lourdes! They've replaced my niece!"
mgrasso> John: Str + Intimidation, diff. 5
James> /me smirks a little bit
Gemma> Tio, no! What are you talking about?
John> !dice 8 5
* DiceWell John rolls 8d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 8 2 1 10 4 4 2 2
James> (grrR)
John> (grr damn you Dicey)
* Gemma tries to guide her uncle to his chair
Gemma> Sit, tio, calm down.
* Ingrid smooths her hair back off her face.
mgrasso> "No, the devil take you, demon!" He backs away into the corner.
James> as you can see miss, the bishop isn't feeling very well? maybe you could call for some help?
Ingrid> Sir, please... calm down.
Gemma> !dice 5 10
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 10. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 8 9 4 6 4
Chet> NO...I think he'll be OK.
* Ingrid rushes over to calm the bishop.
mgrasso> The secretary, a look combining shock and fear on her face, backs out of the office and makes her way to her desk. You can hear her pick up the phone.
* James whispers to chet
* John looks for a phone in this office.
mgrasso> There's one on the desk, John.
* John rips the phone wires out of the wall, hopefully disabling the line.
* James walks over to the bishop, and grabs his arm
Chet> Everyone, hold on, please...
mgrasso> Bishop Esquer is cowering in the corner, unable to move or speak coherently.
James> jesus, John, you could have just taken the phone off the hook
* Gemma watches her uncle nervously
mgrasso> He is averting his gaze from you, Gemma.
James> !dice 5 7
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 9 10 9 5 9
John> That wouldn't have stopped her from calling el porco.
Chet> John, will you get me his ring and cufflinks?
James> one step ahead of you man
* John tries to take off the Bishop's ring and cufflinks.
mgrasso> His ring is there. His cufflinks, though, are gone.
Chet> Can I see the ring?
mgrasso> You can hear Lourdes on the phone in the lobby.
* Chet takes the ring and slips it on his ring finger.
* Ingrid kneels in front of the bishop, checking on his physical well-being.
* John mutters, "Maybe I should have ripped her arm off...."
James> I think, ladies and gentelmen, we need to get the fuck out of here...
* John nods in agreement at James.
Chet> Everyone stay calm... give me a second.
Ingrid> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 2 5 3 1 2
James> nobody will believe his mutterings about monsters, besides, he'll forget in a while
* Gemma hangs back, watching everyone else
mgrasso> Hold on all?
* Ingrid says to the bishop, "Sir? Are you all right?"
mgrasso> Gemma and Ingrid are close to the bishop. Chet is near the door. James is close to the bishop, and John has a phone in his hands. :)
James> ingrid, he's just enchanted.
Gemma> "Just" enchanted?
mgrasso> You can hear Lourdes' footsteps on the stairs going down to the bottom floor.
Chet> Fine...unless anyone has any better ideas, let's get out.
James> yup- now i again suggest we go.
* James walks nonchalantly out the door
* Ingrid asks the bishop "Salvador who?"
* John follows James.
Ingrid> Right about what?
* Gemma grabs Ingrid by the arm and tries to pull her away
Gemma> Come on, let's just go.
Ingrid> !dice 6 4
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 6d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 2 1 7 5 2 4
Gemma> He's useless. He doesn't know his ass from your face. Not that there's much difference.
John> (ouch)
* Chet fumbles around in his bag, producing a blackboard eraser.
* Ingrid shakes Gemma's hand violently off her arm.
* John can't help but look at Ingrid and say, "Oh, I don't know..."
mgrasso> (heh Chet)
* Chet claps the eraser and blows the chalkdust on everyone.
Ingrid> Shut up, Gemma. I'm not talking to you.
mgrasso> (awesome Bunk)
Chet> !dice 8 7
* DiceWell Chet rolls 8d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 7 5 2 3 1 10 2 6
Chet> OK, let's get out *quickly* people...
Gemma> All right...
* Chet walks out the door.
Ingrid> I'm trying to figure out what he was talking about. He said, "Salvador was right."
* Gemma gives her uncle a sad look, then follows Chet
Ingrid> All right, all right...
* Ingrid follows them out.
Gemma> (guys?)
mgrasso> You all rush downstairs. James is standing there already on the street. Miss Lourdes is nowhere to be found.
Chet> Let's walk as we talk people...
mgrasso> She might have rushed into the cathedral proper, or anywhere within a block or two by now.
Gemma> Walk where?
mgrasso> To the cars?
Chet> Anywhere away from here...
Ingrid> Let's get to the cars.
Chet> Let's just rendezvous back at my place. WE can figure out what to do next from there.
Ingrid> Sounds good to me.
James> !dice 5 6
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 5 successes.
* DiceWell 7 6 8 10 9
* Chet gets in the passenger seat of Gemma's car.
* James lists his leg up over his head and hops in a circle five times
* Gemma starts her car and leaves
* John heads for his hog.
James> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 6 6 4 9 8 5
* Chet rolls down the window and waves to everyone to follow...
mgrasso> Okay, everyone, to Chet's place. Let's break for a second.
mgrasso> I need to look something up.
John> Erica, I want commit acts illegal in 17 states with you.
mgrasso> Ingrid, you're driving your Lexus and James drives in the Lincoln.
Gemma> (I heard that certain acts are a felony in Virginia, Jess. ::leer:: )
John> Erica, more acts are illegal in Texas than anywhere else in the world. And yet, I want to do them all here with you.
John> Oh, did I mention I'll be updating my gossip site tomorrow? Some interesting new things.
mgrasso> Chet and Gemma, of course, arrive first. Then John, and then Ingrid. James is nowhere to be found.
Scene Two: James' Car
mgrasso> "Hello." says one cufflink. "Yo, what's up," says the other.
James> i was wondering if the two of you would help me figure something out.
mgrasso> "Yes, of course, good sir." "Yeah, sure, paisan, whateva."
James> well, I'm trying to figure out if the man who owns you is someone I've been looking for- have you ever driven along distance only to unlock a small door and got stuck in a dark hole- while the hands picked up some papers?
mgrasso> "I seem to remember a scenario like that, yes." "Yeah, the big guy goes to a box every now and again. 'Cept he drops *off* the envelopes, not dah other way 'round."
James> drops off, huh. can you read?
mgrasso> "I am sure, sir. Of course I can read." "Read? Nah, nevuh had dah time for it."
James> do any of these seem familiar? "mistress livia" "Nogales, Sonora, Mexico" or "mr. Norman Cruz"?
mgrasso> "Yes, Mr. Cruz was the addressee of quite a few of those envelopes." "The big guy, he was writin' checks to him, I think."
James> really? and do you remember the adress on the envelopes? or was it a po box?
mgrasso> "No address, sir. He'd simply drop off the envelopes." "I tell you this, paisan, he didn't like writin' dose checks very much. He was really nervous."
James> mhm, did he ever fill out the bottom of the check the "for____" section?
mgrasso> "Not that I remember, sir." "Nope."
James> thanks- do you know who salvador is?
mgrasso> "Yes, sir. He is the bishop of Sonora, sir." "Yeah, he's Guillermo's buddy there down in Mexico."
James> did he and the bishop ever discuss mr cruz?
James> that you noticed?
mgrasso> "On the phone, occasionally, he would have heated discussions about Mister Cruz. About how he was loath to 'bankroll a private army.' But soon afterward, the bishop would act cowed and compliant." "What he said."
mgrasso> You're driving into the driveway of Chet's communal home now.
James> do you remember anything more?
mgrasso> The left cufflink, the smart, British-accented erudite one, says, "Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them." Then your cantrip runs out.
James> thanks- and with that james shoves them in his pocket
James> and approaches the door
Scene Three: Chet's House
Gemma> (::perk:: Ooh! I've been checking to see when it'd be updated..)
* Chet is sitting in the living room smoking and talking with Gemma
John> (I get to use the term "scat parties", even)
* John somewhat nervously paces around.
* Ingrid wanders around the room looking at the art.
Chet> Well, did anyone learn anything useful, or are we just randomly terrorizing high-ranking church officials for no reason?
Ingrid> At the end he said "Salvador was right." Salvador was the bishop in Mexico.
Gemma> About time you remembered, doll face.
Chet> Ws this before or after his freak out?
Ingrid> After.
Chet> Well then I'd say we need to talk with Salvador as well...
Chet> Unless we want to just stake out the PO Box...
Ingrid> I don't think he reacted well to his feline niece.
mgrasso> Ingrid's cell phone bleeps.
* Ingrid pulls it out and answers. "Ingrid Kane."
* Chet takes a drag and flicks his ashes into the ashtray.
* Gemma flops to her side and curls up into a little ball
Gemma> I can't believe my tio might have something to do with all this.
Chet> He probably just got mixed up with a bad crowd.
Ingrid> Oh.... really?
Ingrid> (talking into the phone)
* Chet wanders into the kitchen and comes out with a tall glass of iced tea.
Ingrid> How did it happen?
Chet> If anyone wants anything, help yourself...
Gemma> Maybe I just misunderstood him... Maybe he just knew something was up, but didn't do it... HE couldn't have done something like this.
* John nervously helps himself to some iced tea from the kitchen.
Ingrid> Actually, I don't think I can make it. I'm all the way outside of town.
* Chet walks over to the stereo and turns on some noisy punk music.
Chet> James, anything?
* Gemma sits up
* Ingrid covers the phone, "Chet, this is my boss! Would you turn that down, please?"
* Gemma yells, "Ingrid! You forgot the tap for the keg, damn it!"
Ingrid> All right. (back into the phone.)
* Chet leans back and takes another drag from his cigarette. He picks up his remote and turns the volume from 1 up to 2.
* Ingrid hangs up the phone and slumps down onto the couch.
Ingrid> Oh, you guys think it's just soooo funny to make my work life difficult. Thanks so much.
Gemma> You're quite welcome.
Chet> What?
mgrasso> James still isn't here.
* Ingrid sighs and leans her head down onto the arm of the couch.
mgrasso> It's been about 10 minutes since we left the cathedral.
Ingrid> !dice 3 7
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 3d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 10 3 9
Gemma> I wonder where James is?
* Gemma gets up and paces around a bit
Chet> His piece of crap car probably broke down...
Gemma> I hope he's okay. It would be awful if he accidentally found his way into a tub.
Gemma> What if he changed his clothes?
* Gemma wrings her hands and feigns nervous worry
Gemma> All that BO! Wasted!
* Chet takes out another cigarette. He offers the pack around, "Anyone?"
John> Is he often late like this?
* John gratefully takes one from Chet.
John> What brand is this?
* Ingrid leans over and puts her hands on her head.
Chet> Camel Light.
* Gemma flops down next to Ingrid and pokes her in the arm
Gemma> What's wrong, baby cakes?
* John grunts. "That'll do."
* John lights up.
Ingrid> Chet, do you have any aspirin or anything? Or would you like to turn up the music again and make me feel even worse?
Chet> Well, it's on 2 now, but it does go all the way to 11...
* Chet heads up to the bathroom to get some aspirin.
* Chet returns.
mgrasso> There's a car entering the driveway.
mgrasso> It's the big bad Lincoln.
Chet> I've got ibuprofen, or alcohol. Take your pick.
Gemma> Give her both.
Ingrid> Yes, I think both would be good.
mgrasso> It's only like 9:30 am! Drinking already?
mgrasso> The door is knocked upon.
Ingrid> It's medicinal!
Chet> IT'S OPEN!!!
* Ingrid cringes
* James busts in
mgrasso> Chet: the roommates are asleep still, mostly.
* Gemma gets up
* Chet hands Ingrid the ibuprofen and gets her a glass of white wine from the kitchen.
James> well that was interesting, wasn't it?
Gemma> Where were you?
Chet> What was interesting?
James> having a private conversation.
Gemma> With whom?
* Ingrid downs the pills with the wine and leans back, closing her eyes.
Gemma> Or maybe with what...
James> some pretty little pins
Gemma> Pins?
* James holds out his hand, palm up, revealing the cufflinks
Ingrid> !dice 5 7
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 5d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 3 10 9 10 7
Chet> Well, what did they say?
James> that the bishop was writing checks to a mr cruz- and was nervouse about it- and he would bitch about the bastard to salvador, about how he was loathed to bankroll a private army.
* Ingrid looks into the air in the midst of everyone, blinks, and shakes her head.
Gemma> Anything abuot *why* he was bankrolling a private army?
James> hey- they're only cufflinks -
Gemma> Of course. Of course.
* Gemma rubs her eyes
Chet> So - do we go after Salvador or Cruz?
Ingrid> What was it Salvador said in Mexico?
John> Salvador's the one without the army. He'll be easier to lean on.
James> salvador seems to be the key to cruz- he knows something, and for cruz, we still only have a furking po box
James> or maybe they're one in the same
Ingrid> I think talking to Salvador would be a good idea. But it'll have to be today, because I have to be at the station tomorrow.
mgrasso> All right, folks, here's what I want you to do: give me a Wits + Enigmas roll, diff. 8 or a Wits + Investigation roll, diff. 7, whichever you prefer.
Ingrid> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 5 7 5 5 9 4
Gemma> !dice 5 7
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 7. S/He botches the roll.
* DiceWell 1 7 5 1 4
Chet> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell Chet rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 1 9 8 2 3
John> !dice 1 7
* DiceWell John rolls 1d10 at difficulty 7. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 6
James> !dice 6 8
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 8. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 6 4 4 4 2 4
mgrasso> John, what an incredible investigator!
mgrasso> ;-)
John> (duh...whuh? ;-)
Gemma> (wait, I rolled with the wrong diff)
Gemma> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 6 9 6 2 4
John> (John is the male equivalent of the dumb blonde)
mgrasso> Except he's grossly deformed. :)
Ingrid> You know, guys.... before we go talking to anyone, maybe we should just watch.
Chet> That sounds good to me.
Chet> Although we don't have much time...
Gemma> The drunk makes a point.
John> (okay, I'm the male equivalent of Ally McBeal)\
mgrasso> (*snort*)
James> (ha!)
Ingrid> !dice 6 7
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 6d10 at difficulty 7. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 6 10 2 4 10 1
Ingrid> I think we could find out more by watching than confronting in this case.
mgrasso> Ingrid's suggestion basically boils down to "Let's observe Bishop Javier down in Nogales, Sonora, and see what we discover."
Chet> James, can you rig up some kind of monitoring devices or anything?
mgrasso> (I'm nudging the story :D)
Ingrid> (wink, wink, say no more :)
James> what, you want cameras or something? spy ear pieces?
Chet> I think cameras would be appropriate. It's easier than us sitting watch 24 hours a day.
John> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell John rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 7 2 7 6
Ingrid> How about phone taps?
*** James has quit IRC (Connection reset by peer)
mgrasso> Gah!
Gemma> Ingrid makes a lot of sense when she's been drinking.
mgrasso> Hold on all, till Mandy returns.
John> (I'm a lot prettier when I've been drinking *hic*)
* Ingrid holds the glass out to Gemma. "Want some?"
Chet> CAn someone explain who the hell all these bishops are to me? I'm getting confused... there's Javier and Nicaragua, or something...
Gemma> Er, no. I get the feeling you backwash.
mgrasso> Chet: Guillermo Esquer, Bishop of Tucson, Gemma's uncle.
mgrasso> Salvador Javier, Bishop of Sonora, Mexico.
Gemma> (but not the one who snuck into her bedroom at night -- that was a different one)
mgrasso> Damn, looks like Mandy's stuck.
* Chet thanks the magic voices in his head. :)
Gemma> (is everyone sitting?)
*** James (ioianthe@ac809251.ipt.aol.com) has joined #Changeling-Tucson
mgrasso> Whew.
mgrasso> Everyone, I believe, but Chet.
James> what was the last thing?
mgrasso> Chet> I think cameras would be appropriate. It's easier than us sitting watch 24 hours a day.
mgrasso> John> !dice 4 6
mgrasso> * DiceWell John rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 3 successes.
mgrasso> * DiceWell 7 2 7 6
mgrasso> Ingrid> How about phone taps?
mgrasso> That's about it.
* Chet heads back to the kitchen to refill his tea. "Anyone else need a refill?"
mgrasso> So, our plan is...?
Chet> Well, James, how hard will it be to rig up some super-spy equipment?
James> let's call it 100-150 bucks for decent shit- and 15-20 minutes in the lions den
Chet> Go for it, then. Then we go back to Mexico, I guees.
Chet> And *this* time, I'm going to Tijuana...
Ingrid> I could use some sleep.
Chet> I thought you had to work tomorrow?
Ingrid> Can you guys install without me?
James> (those are acurate numbers, according to the sally "spying on your teen" episode)
Chet> (ha)
Gemma> (ha!)
James> can some one get me in there plausibly, or under cover of night?
mgrasso> (heh, you have TOO much time this summer, Mandy)
Chet> I think I can get us in.
James> :)
mgrasso> Okay, so, who's going back down to Nogales?
Chet> Let's go to your place, you tig up the stuff, and we leave from there.
Gemma> I can take us there.
James> cool- do you want me to dress "janitorial" to make it easier
mgrasso> That's where Bishop Javier's office is.
James> ?
Chet> rig...
Ingrid> I'll pass, if it won't impact the outcome of the trip.
Ingrid> What time is it?
James> everybody got 20 bucks to throw in?
mgrasso> Around 10:30 am by now.
Chet> Ummm...actually....I don't think I do.
* Ingrid pulls a $20 out and hands it to James.
Gemma> That's okay, guys. I've got it covered.
Gemma> Ingrid, keep your money.
* John pulls out the roll of money in his pocket and hands it to James. The money is limp and sodden with sweat and motor oil.
Chet> (And it's all ones, I bet...)
Gemma> John, really... save it for the lap dance I'll give you later.
* Ingrid looks up at Gemma. "You're too generous, Gemma."
James> so who's coming?
* John flushes at Gemma's words.
mgrasso> Everyone but Ingrid, I bet.
Chet> I'm coming.
Chet> YOu know Ingird, if you're not coming, at least that pistolero might come in handy down where we're going...
Ingrid> Just don't leave it down there.
* Ingrid fumbles in her bag and hands Chet her pistol.
* Chet takes the gun and drops it in his bag.
Gemma> Try not to run over any school kids on your way home, Ingrid.
Chet> OK, let's go then. Ingrid, if you're going to sleep here, there's a blanket in the hall closet.
Ingrid> Thanks, Chet.
mgrasso> All right. Shall we drive down to Mexico now?
Chet> Yes, let's...
James> I have to go to radio shack!
mgrasso> Oh! :)
Scene Four: To Nogales
Ingrid> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 10 1 6 7 8
James> then home- then well go
James> we'll
Chet> Ah. Radio Shack. The last refuge of the damned...or is that the nerds.
* Ingrid wanders to the hall closet, pulls out a blanket, and heads back for the couch.
Chet> OK. What are we rigging up. A couple of spy cameras and bugs?
* Gemma gathers up her purse and keys
James> anyone ever been there?
Gemma> Uhhh... I bought batteries there once.
Gemma> They wore out right away. It was very annoying.
* John is visibly becoming uncomfortable with Gemma's words.
mgrasso> James, Give me an Intelligence + Crafts, diff. 5
* Gemma gives John a strange look and then says, "Yeah, I had to spend the rest of the plane ride without the comfort of my walkman because of it."
* John tries not to meet
John> Gemma's eyes.
* Gemma goes over to John and whispers to him
James> (one sec...)
mgrasso> Sure.
James> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 2 6 4 10 7
mgrasso> James runs into Radio Shack and comes out five minutes later with two bags full of stuff.
* John blushes boiled lobster red at Gemma's words.
mgrasso> And now, across the border. John, did we want to stop somewhere first?
John> We should stop at the gas station first. See if the eses have seen anything.
Gemma> (we're in the car? jeez! now *i'm* confused)
James> While in the car (some one else has to drive) James fiddles with all the shit, and his lap top
mgrasso> You guys ride into the auto body shop/gas station where John recruited a few toughs into checking out Nogales for signs of Livia.
Chet> I'll bet Ingrid just wanted to stay at my house so she could call those 976 numbers for free...
mgrasso> (I'm SORRY. I'm trying to keep things moving)
mgrasso> (*sigh*)
Gemma> (hey, just beause I can't pay attention...)
mgrasso> Basically, we hit Radio Shack first, then we went across the border, everyone but Ingrid.
mgrasso> And now we're at the auto body shop.
* Gemma looks over to John
Chet> Well, where's your buddies?
* John slowly walks up to the front of the shop, looking for someone.
Gemma> Go bond with your people, lad. See what they found out.
Chet> How's it coming James?
mgrasso> The office at the front of the shop contains only Tomas.
mgrasso> James: Dex + Crafts, diff. 8.
mgrasso> (That's the first of an extended roll)
John> Hey.
James> !dice 7 8
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 8. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 10 7 1 3 10 1 4
John> (that was me saying that to Tomas)
James> wp
mgrasso> "We found some stuff, John. Bring your friends in."
mgrasso> James: how much do you have left?
James> wp? that was my last one
Chet> James, you stay out here and work on that junk.
mgrasso> All right: Chet, Gemma, and John, into #shop
* Chet slides the gun to JAmes.
Chet> I don't trust these guys...
James> nope- got my own
* John slowly motions to the others to follow him in.
James> don't leave home with out it
Chet> Good. LIsten for trouble.
*** Chet (spudboy@216-40-2-159.novia.net) has left #Changeling-Tucson
*** Gemma (hapaxlegomenon@pool-209-138-166-67-phnx.grid.net) has left #Changeling-Tucson
James> !dice 7 9
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 9. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 5 9 6 6 1 4 10
James> !dice 1 9
* DiceWell James rolls 1d10 at difficulty 9. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 4
Ingrid> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 3 6 5 4
James> !dice 7 9
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 9. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 8 5 3 3 1 10 9
James> !dice 1 9
* DiceWell James rolls 1d10 at difficulty 9. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 9
James> !dice 7 8
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 8. S/He botches the roll.
* DiceWell 1 7 7 6 3 2 4
Scene Five: Tomas' Auto Body
*** Chet (spudboy@216-40-2-159.novia.net) has joined #shop
*** John (jjnevins@user-33qs12j.dialup.mindspring.com) has joined #shop
* John says to Tomas, "Ey. 'sup?"
*** Gemma (hapaxlegomenon@pool-209-138-166-67-phnx.grid.net) has joined #shop
mgrasso> Tomas stands, two of his boys behind him, arms crossed.
Gemma> (sorry, guys, mom was giving meupdates)
mgrasso> "So, tell me, John, what you got yourself into here?"
* Chet makes sure the troll is between him and anyone else in the room.
* John leans against the wall in what he hopes is a non-threatening way.
John> "Just trying to help some friends. You know how it is."
* Gemma is standing next to Chet
mgrasso> "You ain't been down to Nogales in a few years, you don't know how it goes down here."
John> "Nah, you're right, I don't. But I thought, y'know, maybe you could help."
mgrasso> Tomas nods silently and with a scowl on his face.
mgrasso> "About three years ago, the streets of Nogales were awash in blood. There were killings every night. Everyone said they were drug wars with the federales, but... we knew better."
* John nods.
mgrasso> "They were street gangs, yeah, but... they had some sort of secret agenda. Some people said they were fucking *devil worshippers*."
* John nods slower and more gravely.
mgrasso> "All the same, they got run out of town pretty easily, by some commandoes. Most thought they were elite police or government guys, but some said they were a private vigilante army."
mgrasso> "I think your Livia got caught by these guys."
John> So did this go town on the streets, or behind closed doors?
mgrasso> Both."
John> Which guys--the army?
mgrasso> "This private army, yeah."
* John looks at Gemma.
John> 'sat sound like something that would have happened to her?
* Gemma looks at the floor
Gemma> I don't know. I guess. It seems that way, doesn't it?
mgrasso> "We noticed that their marks are all over town now. The streets are quiet at night. Crime's down. Means they're back in town and enforcing whatever laws they see fit."
* John grunts.
John> "No idea where they might be? Or who's their chief?"
mgrasso> "If we knew..." Tomas smiles, "the non-devil worshipping criminals in this town would've taken them down already."
mgrasso> "These guys are professionals, whatever the case. They got real training on how to hunt in a city."
* John nods. "Stupid question, never mind."
* John looks at Chet and Gemma. "Any questions?"
Chet> I think I heard all I need to hear.
* Gemma nods
Gemma> Yeah, me too.
Gemma> Thanks, Tomas.
mgrasso> "No problem. Be careful, okay?"
Chet> Thanks...
John> Thanks, Tomas. I owe you.
* Chet heads back out to the car.
mgrasso> It's the first sign of concern from this hardened street vet you've seen.
mgrasso> Back to the room, all. Session Close: Sun Sep 03 22:37:01 2000
Scene Six: Planting a Bug
*** Chet (spudboy@216-40-2-159.novia.net) has joined #Changeling-Tucson
Chet> How's it coming, dude? *** Gemma (hapaxlegomenon@pool-209-138-166-67-phnx.grid.net) has joined #Changeling-Tucson
James> all set-
Chet> Sweet...what have you got?
mgrasso> The cameras are set up and the feeds coming through on James' laptop. They're a little fuzzy though.
Chet> Any audio?
mgrasso> He's also got the wiretaps ready, but they need to be ATTACHED to the phone poles.
James> yup- phone tap and a bug
James> we'll need to do a rescue mission for the tap- it doesn't transmit
Chet> So where are we putting these?
Gemma> I hope someone's good at climbing.
Gemma> You know cats... we can make it up, but coming down isn't quite out thing...
James> cameras, I figure office- two angles, bug, under the desk, tap- up the pole.
mgrasso> It's going to have to be someone with the technical expertise to hook it up.
James> are the bishops quarters ussually in the same building?
mgrasso> The cameras can be planted by amateurs.
Chet> What building are we talking about? Gemma?
Gemma> The office building...
mgrasso> Gemma: the bishop's offices are attached to the church, as is his private residence, but not together.
Chet> Let's go, then.
James> high up fellas, the camera needs to be high up- Gemma, the bug goes under the table- I figure that's your kind of thing any way.
James> I want one camera in his office, one in his room, if at all possible
* Gemma gives James a strange look
Chet> Can we call and find out if he's in?
James> good idea-
Chet> Gemma?
Chet> Will you do the honors?
James> by the way, who brought the trench coats, hats and glasses?
Gemma> Sure.
Chet> I don't think we'll need 'em.
mgrasso> Gemma, call from a payphone?
Gemma> Sure.
Chet> Just ask if he's there...
mgrasso> There's a payphone near the gas station.
* Gemma goes to the payphone and makes the call
James> so what's the cover story going to be?
Chet> It all depends if he's actually there or not.
* Gemma carries on the conversation in Spanish
James> maintance? or just get him out of the room?
mgrasso> I thought you were working at night?
Gemma> Bueno, encuentro el obispo ahora?
Chet> If he's not there now, it'd be easier to go in now...
Chet> No one will look twice at the bishop fiddling around in his *own* office.
James> true-if he is there now, we could do his room now and his office at night
James> ah!!
* Gemma hangs up the phone and heads back to the group
Chet> Well? Where is he?
James> well?
Gemma> He's out.
Gemma> He'll be out all week.
Chet> Any idea where?
Gemma> He's "on a mission outside of the city."
Chet> Great. Then who exactly are we supposed to be spying on?
James> Furking shit.
mgrasso> Actually "on mission."
Gemma> (hey, she's a pooka)
mgrasso> (Oops!)
mgrasso> (silly me)
Chet> Well, hell, we're here. We may as well set up the camera.
Gemma> (actually, I just typed it wrong :) )
James> Maybe we could use this shit @ the post office? or we could wait a furking week, but that's crazy
Chet> Let
John> Why don't we just toss his room now?
Chet> Let's at least set up the phone tap.
mgrasso> You'd have to wait for nightfall for either of these, unaided by cantrips.
Gemma> I'm with Chet. Let's at least get the phone tap in.
Chet> Fine. If he's not there, we can just break in at night...
Chet> Or is there anyone else likely to be around?
mgrasso> Oh, definitely. It's on a public street.
mgrasso> You can't just go climbing up poles and breaking into houses.
James> welll, it is mexico
Gemma> Well, we *can* but it would make us look weird...
Chet> Is there anyone else *in* the office at night or in his house?
John> (I just don't want to get caught breaking into the office by El Santo)
mgrasso> (heh)
mgrasso> Well, the residence is private.
mgrasso> The office? You can't tell.
mgrasso> So, listen, may I nudge again?
Chet> Well we may as well at least set up the wire tap.
Gemma> (sure)
mgrasso> Set up the wiretap tonight. Go back, get Ingrid, come back tomorrow night and listen to it.
mgrasso> If more is needed, you can drop the video cams in the house/office.
James> but we can rifle his papers tonight too- when no one's aroung
James> either way
mgrasso> Papers in the office?
mgrasso> Well, a break-in is substantially more involved than a simple climbing of a pole.
James> yeah... or we could wait until tomorow
John> Time's wasting. Yes or no?
James> so pole tonight, break in tommorow... cool
Gemma> All right.
mgrasso> All right. James, you're climbing?
Chet> Fine. Let's just wait util night and set up the wire tap.
James> yup- anyone have the foresight to bring a saftey net? (how close is it to the building?
James> )
Chet> We've got better than a net. The troll can just catch you if you fall...
mgrasso> Heh, no on the net. It's on the street, like a normal USA telephone pole.
James> damn, well- here goes nothing
mgrasso> All right, James. It's a Dex + Athletics roll, diff. 3, 4 successes required.
mgrasso> Also, I'll be making a Dex + Stealth roll for you. How many dots?
* John positions himself under James and makes ready to catch him.
James> (five)
mgrasso> (Thanks)
James> !dice 5 3
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 3. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 3 6 7 1 9
Chet> !dice 8 8
* DiceWell Chet rolls 8d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 1 7 9 9 8 2 9 4
mgrasso> James climbs VERY quickly to the top of the telephone pole, as if he was born to do it.
mgrasso> (oops, one more success, James. My mistake.)
* John looks around to check for passers-by.
* Chet takes a drag on his cigarette and blows it in James' direction.
James> (same thing?)
mgrasso> Yep. Now, in order to do this as quickly as possible, you'll need to roll Wits + Computers, diff. 8.
James> !dice 5 3
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 3. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 4 1 8 4 7
mgrasso> James, a penlight in his teeth, is futzing with the phone box.
James> !dice 9 8
* DiceWell James rolls 9d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 7 8 7 3 2 7 7 9 1
mgrasso> Gimme another one.
James> !dice 9 8
* DiceWell James rolls 9d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 5 7 7 3 5 8 4 4 10
mgrasso> It's been another minute.
Gemma> (Gemma must look like a hooker out with her two pimps...)
mgrasso> (Heh!)
* Gemma leers at John
mgrasso> James gives the all clear sign and scrambles down the pole.
* John blushes.
Gemma> Hey, papacito...
* John begins fidgeting.
mgrasso> Without, of course, forgetting to turn the wiretap on. :)
* James looks very "mission impossible" while he's doing all this
mgrasso> Looks like it's time for an escape across the border back to Chet's.
Chet> Actually, how long will it take to get back?
mgrasso> (Let's keep moving. About an hour, hour and a half.)
Chet> I wouldn't mind just spending the night here instead of driving back and forth.
James> furk it, let's get out of here...
Chet> Anyone for a hotel room?
mgrasso> But we need to get Ingrid.
Gemma> I was just about to ask John that, Chet.
John> (someone make the doodly-doodly-doodly noise)
Gemma> (doodly?)
* John mutters, "Uh-oh."
Chet> What?
John> (you know, when they shift scenes in 1950s/1960s tv shows--doodly doodly doodly!)
Gemma> (ahh...)
* James mutters something half to himself half to Gemma
* John looks at Chet. "Nothing, sorry."
Chet> So what are we doing?
Chet> James?
mgrasso> Ah, Christ.
mgrasso> Are you staying here or going home, guys? Come on.
John> Let's go to a hotel. Now.
James> I want to go home.
Chet> Whatever...I ain't the one driving.
* Chet gets in the car.
mgrasso> All right, folks. Back to Chet's.
* John follows Chet back to Chet's.
mgrasso> Back to Tucson.
mgrasso> You arrive back around 2 a.m.
mgrasso> The infiltration happened around midnight or so.
Scene Seven: Chet's House
Chet> Is Ingrid still sleeping on my couch?
mgrasso> The lights are off, and Ingrid is on the couch.
James> can I download a national white pages onto my laptop tommorow?
mgrasso> For Mexico? Sure.
Chet> OK. You can all sleep here if you want, but I'm no good unless I get some sleep...
mgrasso> Or for the U.S.?
* John grabs some carpet.
James> probably mexico and usa- depending on how long it takes
mgrasso> Who's sleeping at Chet's?
John> I am.
mgrasso> James? Gemma?
* Chet goes down to the basement and returns with pillows and blankets.
* Chet hands a Winnie the Pooh blanket to John.
mgrasso> (heh!)
* Gemma giggles at the blanket
* John looks at the blanket and then tucks it over him, trollfully trying to ignore Gemma's giggles.
Gemma> I'll stay so we can get an early start.
* Chet gives James a tattered Empire Strikes Back sleeping bag.
mgrasso> James? Do you stay or do you go?
James> got a phone jack?
Chet> Sure...over there by the dining room table.
James> I'll stay-
* James sets himself up on the floor in the corner, laptop a-glow
Chet> Let me know if the line's busy. It's 2 am so Jake'
Chet> s probably downloading porn.
mgrasso> All righty. Everyone gets back a point of WP, of course.
mgrasso> And could everyone message me their present Glam, Banal, and WP?
mgrasso> MESSAGE.
James> what's his e-mail adress? I'll send him some jpegs.
Chet> It's jfargher@novia.net
mgrasso> All right. Ingrid, you go to work early tomorrow. You'll be back at Chet's by 5.
mgrasso> Who else is going to work tomorrow?
Ingrid> right.
James> I am
mgrasso> Okay, James.
mgrasso> Gemma? :)
Gemma> I'm going home to shower and change and then making a guest appearance at work.
Chet> I'll fix breakfast for anyone who wants it.
mgrasso> Sounds about right. So let's regroup at Chet's at 6 pm? And then we can go back to Nogales.
James> oh!!!
mgrasso> Heh, I don't mean to interrupt a Chet breakfast. :)
mgrasso> Go ahead, do the scene.
mgrasso> (I can go a little later than midnight tonight)
Chet> (That's OK. WE can just assume that everyone eats their fill and the food is good...)
mgrasso> (Okay!)
Ingrid> (mmmm.... waffles.)
mgrasso> Let me do everyone's day at work.
Chet> (I hope blueberry pancakes are OK for everyone)
Gemma> (Can we also assume that Ingrid is hung over from the wine and pills? ;) )
Ingrid> (no we can not. :)
Chet> (I think you better roll for it...)
* Ingrid sticks her tongue out at Chet.
Gemma> (come on! stamina plus booze, diff 8)
Ingrid> Nope. Ingrid had goooood dreams. :)
John> John, too. Gemma was near. :-)
Chet> (Of course she did, she was curled up all day with the musky scent of *Chet*)
Gemma> (lol!)
James> !dice 6 9
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 9. S/He botches the roll.
* DiceWell 3 1 7 7 3 4
Scene Eight: Back to Nogales
mgrasso> All right, all.
mgrasso> 6 p.m.
mgrasso> Haven House, the abode of Chet.
Chet> OK. Now I suppose we have to drive to hell and back - again...
mgrasso> The major miles are racking up to Nogales!
James> who's in my car?
Chet> Anyone? Omlette before we go?
James> okay
*** mgrasso sets mode: +o Chet
*** mgrasso sets mode: +o Gemma
*** mgrasso sets mode: +o James
John> Got any beer left?
Gemma> (did James change his clothes this time? :) )
Chet> Ummm...looks like all Ingrid left us with was a half a case of Keystone. That OK?
James> new shirt- new socks, new underwear, clean hair, same pants
John> Yeah, that's fine.
* John begins drinking.
* Gemma gives James a hug and whispers something in his ear
mgrasso> John, you driving?
John> Yup, still on my Harley.
Ingrid> The rest of us could probably go in one car.
mgrasso> Okay, one car?
Chet> Sure...
Ingrid> How about mine?
James> mine!
Ingrid> You want the miles on, fine. Yours it is.
Chet> Yeah...I don't want to sit in the front seat of her car...I made an *awful* mess in there last time.
mgrasso> All right, down to Nogales in the big-ass Lincoln.
John> (Down to Nogales in the big-ass Lincoln...sounds like a c&w song)
mgrasso> You drive to a spot down the street from the church. You wait until nightfall and a late enough hour where James could get back up the telephone pole.
Chet> Climb, James. Climb like the wind.
Chet> Or like something that climbs really fast.
mgrasso> Heh, okay James, dex + Athletics, diff. 3
* John puts himself in the position to catch James.
James> !dice 5 3
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 3. S/He gets 3 successes.
* DiceWell 4 10 1 10 3
James> !dice 5 3
* DiceWell James rolls 5d10 at difficulty 3. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 6 5 8 4 2
mgrasso> He bullets up that pole again.
mgrasso> He quickly grabs the digital memory that holds the wiretap info.
mgrasso> And he makes it back down.
mgrasso> Perhaps we'd like to take this back to the car and listen to it?
James> sure, makes sense...
mgrasso> All right. There's a couple of calls made. Both to the same number (Perception + Computers to get the phone number from the beeps, James, diff. 4)
Chet> Dude, is that Freedom Rock? Turn it up...
James> !dice 6 4
* DiceWell James rolls 6d10 at difficulty 4. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 5 2 2 2 2 6
mgrasso> First call. They're speaking in Spanish. Gemma, will you translate?
Gemma> Sure.
* Gemma listens intently
mgrasso> "Hello?" "Hello, your Excellency. She still will not speak." "Very well. I shouldn't be too long today. I wish to interview her again, personally. I will be there this afternoon."
Ingrid> "Interview"? I don't like the sound of that...
Chet> Were these outgoing phone calls?
mgrasso> Second call. "Hello?" "You Excellency, I have given up on interrogation today. She seems unusually resistant today. I can the spirit inside her fading away before my eyes day by day." "Good, my son. You are indeed gifted in exorcism. I'm quite proud of you." "Thank you, Father. I wish only to serve God and purge the demons from this world."
James> oh furking hell
mgrasso> "You succeeded with the leeches, my son. You will succeed with this child of Satan as well. I shall see you soon. Goodbye."
Ingrid> Oh great. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition.
James> ha!!!!
James> !dice 7 6
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 3 8 5 4 3 2 3
Gemma> !dice 5 5
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 9 1 10 3 2
James> I guess they think our satyr is possesed by demonds.
Chet> Well, yes...
Chet> Were these outgoing calls or incoming ones?
mgrasso> Both incoming/
Gemma> What were the phone numbers? Could you tell?
* James looks up from his computer screen where he had been staring intently
Chet> James, were you able to figure out what phone number they were coming from?
Gemma> Were they the same,a nd if they were, could we match them to an address?
James> I found the location
Chet> Where is it?
James> a factory outside of town. It's the Mexican manufacturing headquarters of an American electronics company.
Chet> Well, anyone care to get reinforcements?
John> Do we need any?
mgrasso> It seems to make sense to move tonight.
Chet> Ummm...well us vs. a "terrorist army"?
James> and an "exorcist" give me a break.
mgrasso> (Hee)
Chet> Your friends seemed awfully eager to find these guys and put them out of business...
Chet> Maybe if we point the way to them, they can do some of the dirty work for us.
John> I'd rather see what we're up against first before endangering Tomas.
James> oh yeah, what happened in there?
Chet> Well, I guess we can scout the place first.
Gemma> Guys, we need to move, whatever we do.
James> hey guys
Ingrid> What's up, James?
John> Let's go.
James> I know it's name, and I know it's a factory, but there seem to be a furking lot of them out there, I don't have an exact adress
James> V
James> (oops)
* Gemma groans
James> Questron- just a sec, i should be able to find it
mgrasso> James, gimme a Int + computers, diff. 6
John> You do know it's outside of town, though, right?
James> !dice 7 6
* DiceWell James rolls 7d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 4 successes.
* DiceWell 8 2 2 9 5 6 9
James> (rock baby)
mgrasso> Shit yeah. It's at 7000 Camino Norman. Or however you say "Norman Road" in Spanish. :)
Chet> Let's go, then. It doesn't sound like she's got much time...
James> norman, like the guys name...
James> hey- ware house, windows right?
mgrasso> Well, you have no pictures or maps.
James> maybe we can put these pinholes to use after all
James> lets go...
John> Let's do it.
Scene Nine: 700 Norman Road
* James talks during the ride
* Chet gets in the backseat of the car.
mgrasso> All right. Excellent. How will you approach the factory?
John> Is there room in the car for me?
James> Gemma, if you could go kitty cat, maybe you could hop up on one of the sills and plant a camera facing in
James> then we could monitor the situation before jumping in
Gemma> Is it small enough to carry in my mouth?
James> it's a choking hazad for gods sake
mgrasso> (Heh)
James> (oops, hazard... although he is bostonian)
John> (Honey, let me handle that. I'm used to large things in my mouth)
Gemma> (lol!)
Gemma> All right, then... Give that thing to me.
John> (for Bostonians it would be "hazahd")
* Gemma looks around for a private place
mgrasso> Driving, driving.... driving... and you guys are about a 1/4 mile up the road from the factory.
* Ingrid whispers to Chet, "By the way, I saw your girlfriend last night."
mgrasso> You stop, and turn the lights and motor off.
James> Gem, find a window with a good view.
Ingrid> She was royally pissed to see me, too.
* Ingrid grins.
Chet> Which girlfriend is that?
Ingrid> Anyway, I'll tell you about it later.
James> goodluck.
* James kisses Gemma, and sends her off
* Gemma takes her shrit off and hands it to James
Gemma> This is my favorite t-shirt. Take care of it.
* Gemma wanders off
Scene Ten: Gemma Inside the Complex
mgrasso> All right. You walk down the road about halfway to the factory, strip, and change.
Gemma> meow...
mgrasso> As you approach the factory, you see two guards and a kiosk with a security gate at the front gate.
mgrasso> There are large white brick walls with barbed wire on top.
mgrasso> There's no way for you to get in.
Gemma> What kind of gate is it? The kind with spaced bars?
Gemma> Could I squeeze through? Who's going to stop a cat?
mgrasso> Nah, it's just a bar-gate. But the guards would see you if you walked in.
mgrasso> Stop you... you don't know.
Gemma> So why not try?
mgrasso> Hmm, it's up to you.
Gemma> Why, are they going to shoot me? Do they have guns?
mgrasso> A closer look... they do have sidearms.
Gemma> Have they seen me?
mgrasso> Nope.
Gemma> Okay, then how about I walk by close enough to the kiosk so that the only ay to see me is by actually sticking their head out the window to the gate, and then squeezing past the bars...
Gemma> barring that, are there any trees to climb near the wall?
mgrasso> Oh, when I said bar-gate I meant one of those gates with a bar that goes up and down, like a garage.
mgrasso> No trees.
Gemma> Oh, even better... then just going in under it
mgrasso> One is outside the gatehouse, and one is standing behind the bar-gate.
mgrasso> Again, they will see you.
Gemma> But I'm just a cat, so let me try to sneak past them... I've got "stealth"
mgrasso> All right! Dex + Stealth, diff. 8
mgrasso> Good job! The factory's windows are on the first and second floors, spaced evenly on the building.
Gemma> Hop up to a random window and see what's there?
mgrasso> Sure. Inside, you see a darkened factory floor. There are some figures patrolling inside. They wear all black, no masks, have Uzis and grenades.
mgrasso> They walk around with what look like night-vision goggles. They are a totally different breed of badass from the lame dudes at the front gate.
Gemma> Hmm.. try another window?
mgrasso> Sure, but this factory floor is BIG.
mgrasso> It takes up most of the interior.
Gemma> Ah, okay, so this is all just one big part of the factory...
Gemma> Any way of getting to the second floor? Fire escape?
mgrasso> Yes.
Gemma> Okay, then climb up and see what I find at the nearest, safest window to look in?
mgrasso> Yeah, the nearest window is the only window you can see in. It's an office.
Gemma> Anyone in there?
mgrasso> Business office, with computer and file cabinets, etc.
mgrasso> No.
Gemma> Is the window open or shut?
mgrasso> Shut, of course. :)
Gemma> Of course. :)
mgrasso> Wanna drop a camera and move back to the car?
Gemma> Think this is a good place to?
mgrasso> I dunno. It's either here or at the factory floor.
Gemma> I want to put it where we're most likely to learn something...
mgrasso> Factory floor then.
Gemma> All right... then prance back down to plant it there
mgrasso> Need another Dex + Stealth roll, diff. 8.
mgrasso> Whew. :)
Gemma> Bless Dicey
mgrasso> Go get dressed?
Gemma> Yup
mgrasso> Okay, walk back to the car in human form.
Gemma> And get her shirt back from James... Can't hang around topless all the time
mgrasso> Spend a point of Glam, by the way.
mgrasso> Well, she's got a bra on, right?
Gemma> Maybe.
Gemma> I'm kidding. OF course.
Gemma> If you want to know what she's wearing, it's a black cotton bra -- one of those Victoria's Secret seamless dealies, baggy khaki cargo pants, and once she gets it back from James, a long-sleeved t-shirt that says "PARANOID" on it in white letters on the front. it's dark blue.
mgrasso> Paste that. :)
Gemma> Nah, it's beyond the fact... but I'll sneak in a detail
Scene Eleven: Entrance into Factory
Ingrid> Melinda.
* James puts it in the pocket with the underwear.
James> (j/k)
Gemma> (hehe)
Chet> Oh. Huh...did she tell you she was my girlfriend or something?
Ingrid> Well, she asked me what I did with her boyfriend, so I figured it was reciprocal.
Chet> Hm. Maybe I'll have to have a talk with her...
Ingrid> I told her I turned you into a newt and she stormed off.
James> he got better
Chet> It's not like she hasn't seen drunk women passed out on the couch before.
Ingrid> Well, she sure wan't happy to see me.
Chet> I didn't take her for the jealous type. Especially not with the way she was hanging all over Kevin...
James> because Kevin is SUCH a catch...
* John softly drums his fingers on the windowsill.
Chet> Is there any way for us to even get into this place - even if we find something out?
Gemma> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 8 5 2 4 8
mgrasso> Well, Gemma can report back with info.
Chet> Maybe we should look around and check out the security.
James> just wait for now, we can check for security later
Chet> There's got to be something we can do...besides sitting here.
mgrasso> (C'mon, Joe, haven't you ever played D&D and let the thief do their thing? :D)
Chet> If you turn the camera on now, are you going to see anything other than cat saliva?
James> we can play minesweeper...
Ingrid> Getting antsy, Chet?
* John mutters, "First thing you learn is you always have to wait..."
James> (would turning it on shock her?)
mgrasso> (I don't believe so. She's probably carrying it lens-out."
* James turns the camera on.
Chet> Well, it just sounds like they're doing terrible things to someone in there. If we can do something constructive now, we probably should.
mgrasso> hold on. my mouse fell out.
James> Chet man, chill out- have some herbal tea or something... we don't want to fuck this up- we are being productive, we're watching, and waiting
Ingrid> damned fancy-ass mouse. :)
mgrasso> You turn on the camera. You see the camera's lens peering inside the factory, into what appears to be a window.
James> ha!
mgrasso> Inside, you see the factory floor.
mgrasso> There are some figures patrolling inside. They wear all black, no masks, have Uzis and grenades.
James> shit
John> Uh-oh.
Ingrid> Well, don't they look familiar.
mgrasso> Suddenly, the camera moves away from the window and walks towards a fire escape.
James> murbing furbbinf shit
mgrasso> The camera bumps up the fire escape stairs to the second floor.
mgrasso> At the top of the escape, inside the window, you see a standard business office. Darkened, computer, file cabinet.
James> everyone ready to play "sniper" on heavily armed men? anyone ever kill anybody before?
John> Not this many.
mgrasso> You saw three figures walking among the factory floor machinery.
James> tonight, we have surprise-
mgrasso> The camera bounces down back to the factory floor window and the camera is left behind there.
mgrasso> Their patrolling continues.
mgrasso> You get a closer look, looks like they're wearing night-vision goggles.
Chet> Do you want to go in, or go get halp?
John> (bouncing camera? We're not in Blair Changeling Project territory, are we?)
John> Get Gemma out of there and get some help. This is too much for us.
Gemma> !dice 5 8
* DiceWell Gemma rolls 5d10 at difficulty 8. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 9 4 7 8 3
James> who thinks they'll be able to handle the situation? I don't want anyone going in there if they they're not confident
James> I think we can do it ourselves
John> I don't.
Chet> If there's only 3, we might be OK.
* Gemma comes back and heads over to James
Ingrid> We can take three, no problem.
Gemma> My shirt?
* James hands her back her shirt... great job babe.
Ingrid> I would like my gun back though, Chet.
Chet> Ummmmm...I think I left it at home...
James> let's watch for anybody else- we can even go down the street so they dont get suspicious about the car
Ingrid> You what? Look in that bag of yours and make sure.
* Gemma wiggles into the shirt
* Chet digs around in his bag...
James> my guess is 5 of these, two on the inside with our exorsist... so that's a total of six men... no problem.
mgrasso> (Guys, can we do a little more tonight? Pweeeeease?)
Chet> Wait a minute...
James> (I'm good to do)
Chet> (I'm OK)
Ingrid> (I can stay)
James> (go, not do, go)
Chet> Ummm....
John> (I'll try)
Gemma> (I'm good)
mgrasso> (Thanks, another half-hour or hour, tops).
* Ingrid watches Chet dig.
Chet> Ah, here it is.
James> let's move the car.
* Chet hands Ingrid her gun. The handle is smeared with peanut butter. "Sorry about that..."
* Gemma straightens out the long sleeves of her shirt
* Ingrid raises an eyebrow and takes her gun back.
Chet> Oh, wait. That's a water pistol...
* Chet takes the gun back.
* John checks to make sure he still has his wrenches handy, having stupidly left his hammer behind with his bike.
Ingrid> Do you have a handkerchief in there too?
Chet> Sorry, I guess I did leave it at home.
* Chet shrugs his shoulders.
James> James puts it in to drive- and moves the car down the street out of view of the factory
Ingrid> Way to go, Chet. Remind me never to lend you anything again.
Ingrid> So nice not to have my gun when I need it.
Chet> Sorry...
Gemma> (so Chet and ingrid can't tell the difference between a plastic gun and a real one? :) )
James> maybe chet could make you one out of a gum wraper?
Ingrid> I would hope so!
Chet> Actually, you can have the water pistol if it helps. It *looks* real.
mgrasso> All right. Where are we going?
Ingrid> Nah, you keep it.
mgrasso> Guys, where are we going?
James> just down the street- I want to keep watching, an hour or two, I want to see if anyone comes to relieve the men we saw, get a figure on exactly howmany
* Chet licks the peanut butter off the handle and tries to clean it the rest of the way with his shirt.
mgrasso> All right, James.
mgrasso> You wait an hour. No car comes down the road, from either the factory or the city.
Gemma> Any change in the factory floor?
* Chet squirts water from the gun into his mouth to wash the peanut butter down.
Gemma> Gross, Chet. How long has that water been in there?
mgrasso> Nope. They are in continuous patrol.
Chet> Not long. I think.
Chet> How long are we going to be here watching?
James> if we could create a diversion out front, some banging to attract them- maybe a "drunken car accident" everyone else could slip in.
mgrasso> Hold on, guys.
Ingrid> !dice 4 7
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 4d10 at difficulty 7. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 6 2 5 3
mgrasso> Gemma, you told them about the layout, right?
James> oh! if we could get them outside, we could pull a total "wizard of oz"!!!
Gemma> Two guards, tall white brick wall with barbed wire on the top (?)
mgrasso> Basically, the factory is surrounded by a brick fence and barbed wire. There's one entrance, guarded by two guards, who AREN'T the same kinda badass as the ones inside.
John> Wizard of Oz?
Chet> Think we could rustle up some firearms while they're staking the place out, John?
Ingrid> I think I could get us past those 2 guards.
James> the sceen when they bust into the witches castle, disguised as her soldiers
John> Oh. Never saw it.
Ingrid> Let's go to the gate.
James> wait
Chet> How do you propose we get past these guys?
James> we're not going anywhere with out a concreet plan
Ingrid> What is it, James?
Ingrid> I can get us past the two guards and into the compound.
Chet> How?
James> details ingrid
Ingrid> I'm going to call upon the Wyrd and dazzle them.
* Ingrid smiles deviously.
James> very cool. chet, howmany of us could you disguise like bad asses?
Gemma> If only they didn't have to see us at all.
* Gemma sighs
Chet> None, unfortunately.
James> damn dog...
Ingrid> You won't need a disguise to get in, James.
Ingrid> Not if what I have in mind works.
Gemma> What are you going to do? How will you "dazzle" them?
James> well?
James> as a sidhe no doubt, but that's just the two at the gate
Chet> Go for it...I'm just along for the ride.
Ingrid> Yes, it is just the two at the gate.
James> I want to get into the main compound, and somehow trick the 3 we saw on patrole into going outside
James> so here's what I'm thinking:
Chet> Fine. Maybe she can dazzle those two out of their uniforms.
James> Ingrid, you're going to turn the two outside into mush brains
Gemma> Then John can club them like baby seals.
* John nods.
James> then, we'll knock some garbage can lids or something, to attract the attention of the guys inside
James> can you dazzel them too you think? or atleast distract them enough for us to get them as they rush out?
Ingrid> Why not sneak in?
Gemma> Yeah, why not sneak in?
Chet> Up the fire escape and in the window?
Ingrid> No, right in the front gate.
James> I figure, that if we can knock them out outside with out alerting anyone else, the fewer we'll have to deal with inside- you see- once hell breaks loose, and it will, I don't want to have us deal with everything at once.
Ingrid> Guards go down, we go in.
Gemma> But once we get past the front gate, Ingrid-dearest?
Chet> What about the other ones inside the front doors?
Ingrid> We take them as they come?
James> Forget the first two- they already don't exist
James> listen for a second again.
Chet> Once we get in the front gate, we still have to get past the guards *inside*...
James> those two are disabled- the patrole men *INSIDE* are alerted to a rucuss outside, where we stun or club or shoot them
James> thats five men out of a potential situation already
James> (damn it I need to draw a diagram!)
James> (where's the battle map?!)
* Gemma gently rubs James' shoulder
Chet> OK. Let's get rid of the first 2. Then get their uniforms. It will be much easier to get rid of the other 3 that way.
Ingrid> Great idea.
James> makes sense- two could go to the door and call for there help, three could be waiting to get 'em
mgrasso> If you do do that, it'll be best to use Chet and James in those uniforms, since John is so big.
James> (their, not there)
John> (I was about to say...)
mgrasso> Okay, shall we?
Chet> OK, now you just need to dazzle the first two out of their pants. Is that do-able?
Ingrid> .I hope so.
James> once inside- what then though?
John> Take it as it comes
James> eh...
Chet> Then we create a ruckus, like you said. Call for their help - then the troll conks them on the head.
James> not inside the gate, inside the building
Ingrid> !dice 4 5
* DiceWell Ingrid rolls 4d10 at difficulty 5. S/He gets 2 successes.
* DiceWell 5 4 10 2
Chet> Ah, hell. I don't know...
mgrasso> Ingrid calls upon her inborn Glamour. Her fae mien shifts to the forefront, and all of a sudden, there's a sidhe enchantress sitting in the back seat of a Lincoln.
*** Ingrid is now known as Artemisia
James> let's roll.
mgrasso> You guys again drive up to close to the gate.
* Gemma crosses herself for luck
* John grips his wrench.
* Chet gets out of the car and opens the door for Artemisia.
* Artemisia takes great care in unplaiting her long hair as she emerges from the vehicle.
* Gemma slides out of the car, which makes her pants bunch up and her shirt twist around so that she has to straighten them out again
* James parks the car, but leaves it running (battery is pretty new) opens his door and slips out, crouching behing the car.
* John surreptitiously watches Gemma, that gets out fo the car and follows the group.
* James folows
Gemma> When Gemma tugs on the shirt, the letters on her shirt finally straighten up enough to make sense, spelling out: "PARANOID"
Chet> OK...get to the part where they take off their pants, Artemisia.
* Artemisia begins a leisurely stroll toward the gate and the two guards there. She is now running her fingers through her hair, waves cascading down her back.
Gemma> That's her specialty.
* Gemma leans over to James and says in a stage whisper, "She doesn't shake her ass nearly enough..."
Artemisia> !dice 6 6
* DiceWell Artemisia rolls 6d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 5 successes.
* DiceWell 9 6 6 10 3 10
mgrasso> The guards just sort of stand there, gazing at Artemisia, their hands unable to reach their sidearms.
mgrasso> (reroll tens, Art)
Artemisia> !dice 2 6
* DiceWell Artemisia rolls 2d10 at difficulty 6. S/He botches the roll.
* DiceWell 1 3
* James puts his hand on gemmas but, but then again, she hasn't got quite the right ass-ets.
Chet> Well if it's this easy, why don't we just stroll in the building and do the same to the guys inside?
mgrasso> All of you are stunned as Artemisia's form is enveloped in bright light. You cannot see what happens to her face (her back is to you) but you can see its result on the guards; they drop to their knees, their mouths open, gazing with the purest love into the visage of the terrible faerie queene.
mgrasso> They are completely enraptured with Artemisia's horrible unearthly glory
* Chet walks to the guards and takes their sidearms, averting his eyes from Artemisia.
mgrasso> Chet quickly grabs the guns from the guards.
* James pops the trunck to his car and pulls out his jumper cables- these should do to tie them up for now.
mgrasso> They simply ignore him.
Chet> Will this work on the guys inside too?
* John helps Chet get the sidearms and any walkie-talkies or communication devices.
mgrasso> John takes care of the walkie talkies as James ties them up. Dex + Security, James, diff. 7
mgrasso> Wait!
Artemisia> I don't know. Let's take advantage of it while we can.
mgrasso> I'll roll.
* Chet hands a gun to Artemisia. "Here's for the one I lost."
* Artemisia takes the gun from Chet's outstretched hand.
James> 5 dice
mgrasso> Thank you James.
mgrasso> All right, they're tied up, undressed, in their little guard kiosk.
mgrasso> Are Chet and James donning the guards' uniforms?
*** James has quit IRC (Connection reset by peer)
John> (James stepped out of the room to change? (-:_
mgrasso> Let's wait for Mandy.
Artemisia> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell Artemisia rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He gets 1 success.
* DiceWell 2 3 8 3
* Artemisia can feel the grandeur fading. "This won't last long enough to help inside, Chet."
Gemma> Can you rev it up? Redo it? Take your clothes off?
Artemisia> No, it... costs me a lot.
Artemisia> !dice 4 6
* DiceWell Artemisia rolls 4d10 at difficulty 6. S/He fails the roll!
* DiceWell 1 1 9 9