Urban Arcana (IC)

[Neon Knight]

Hong Kong, China
Kowloon City
10:30 A.M. Local Time

There are some places on earth like no other.

It might not seem like a city, even a particularly large city, even one that is so famous as Hong Kong, would be one of those places. Perhaps one first thinks of the many different vistas of natural beauty, hidden throughout the world, places unspoiled by the touch of man. Places that take the breath away and draw people from far away simple to view them, to see them once in their lives.

But those places are distant. Fantastical. Soon out of sight and out of mind. This city, on the other hand, is an experience. It breathes. It lives. It is experienced, not viewed. And this city, one of the most densely populated in the world, thrives.

Today, most of the city goes about its business. But, in a teahouse in one of the quieter districts of the bustling city, something interesting is going down.

The place is simple; much like Hong Kong itself, it seems to embody East meets West. The styling for the most part is modern with traditional touches. The construction was laid out according to the principle of feng shui, and it has quite auspicious qi. It's a good place.

A few patrons are present, enjoying the fare and speaking to one another quietly. Above each table, a cage suspended from the ceiling holds a song bird, which occasionally fills the air with sweet song.

You are here for one simple reason: your employer has requested that you meet him here, to deliver an object you acquired for him on a trip to Pakistan recently.

It should be fairly simple, and mostly uneventful. Normally, all of you probably wouldn't bother being present for it, except that he requested that all of you attend. Supposedly, he wants to speak to you about further opportunities, and about the events of the trip that lead you to come into possession of the object.

Said object seems to be an old artifact, a stone tablet native to the region it was recovered from. Potentially valuable, and the compensation offered by your client (who you will meet in person for the first time; all prior contact was over the phone, with a male with a precise, mostly unaccented voice, although a mandarin Chinese accent was detectable to these with the knowledge to pick up on that kind of thing.) is substantial.

For now, though, you arrive at the teahouse.


Just need a post from everyone real quick to make sure we're all onboard, and then we can set this thing properly into motion.

[Damian Jade]

Johnny seems to be at ease. He sprawled out casually in his spot wearing khaki pants with cargo pockets and a button down dress shirt over what appears to be an Underarmor brand tee shirt. There's a lazy air to him that belies the speed and awareness he showed early. He idly toyed with a Zippo lighter but never once reached for the pack of cigarettes everyone who'd worked with him knew was in the inside pocket of his jacket. He kept a close but casual eye on the doors and anyone moving toward the table. Occasionally, he pushed his brown hair back out of his eyes with an irritated hand. He looked over at the Gnoll, "You wanna hit the gym back the hotel when we're done here?"


Are we packing or would we be going legal to avoid police hassles? I'm assuming we're armed but wanted to check.'

[RdMarquis]

Lorelei's (although everyone present knew her as Shirley Shang) attention was partially directed elsewhere. Although she did occasionally look up from the laptop to check if anyone was saying anything important, the half-fey was mostly focused on her online game.

She looked a little restless. Her feet, dangling an inch or two above the floor, were tapping against the chair leg. Lorelei tugged at the top of her sleeveless shirt, a little wary of her wings poking out.

[AvianMalkavian]

The gnoll grumbled, leaning on the table and just looking the place over. His ears twitched when Johnny spoke, and he glanced in his direction, offering a simple shrug. His attention drifted towards the young girl that had accompanied them, Shirley Shang. She was practically a child in appearance, and he had to wonder why she was here, or if she realized what she was getting herself into by doing this sort of work.

He sighed, reaching up to scratch his mane as he returned his attention to his surroundings, waiting for their employer to show up.

[Freshmeat]

Derek waits patiently for their employer to arrive, reading a newspaper as he does so. He is wearing a slightly-greasy dark blue vest, which clashes a little with the leather jacket resting on his lap. Occassionally he glances up as someone enters the teahouse, but otherwise remains silent.

[♠Spade♠]

Luke stared into his tea, tapping his fingers against the cup. He glanced around the table, pausing briefly at each person. He still wasn't sure what to make of "Cowboy", as he thought of Johnny. Despite the ten-gallon hat, he was fairly sure the man wasn't from Texas. But he didn't know if Johnny was from that part of the country or not. Shirley was the youngest in their group(as far as he knew, anyway), and was sitting with her face glued to a laptop just like every other kid her age. Actually, he mused, I think she's about the same age as my brother. With her legs swinging, she seemed even younger.

The thing that bothered him most about the gnoll was that what with being a different species, Luke couldn't read him very well. Other than that, he didn't have any more of an opinion about Dhyrn than he did about any other shadowkind. As for Derek, Luke was most suspicious of him. The man was past the age most people retired; he shouldn't seem the type to go gallivanting around the world doing this kind of work.

However, the current situation was unusual, and even more suspicious. They had never met this employer in person before, and they rarely attended meetings all together. Yet here they were, waiting for this mysterious person to give them the item. Luke shifted uncomfortably in his seat, suspecting that this would not end well.

[RdMarquis]

Shirley moved her character into a city and logged off the game, but didn't close the laptop just yet. Her eyes moved around the table as she wondered who to talk to. Finally, she settled on Johnny, if only just because of his last name.

"Hey, Mr. Parrot." She giggled. "How do you clean a gun? The guy I got mine from said I should make sure nothing gums up the works."

[Damian Jade]

Johnny set his green tea down and reached into a pocket inside his jacket, moving carefully to avoid flashing the flat black automatic the others knew rested in a shoulder holster. "Well it depends on what type of pistol it is, sweetheart. It isn't hard to do and with a little practice it'll be an automatic as opening up that laptop and logging into your favorite website." Johnny produces a toothpick and absently holds it as if it were a cigarette.
He turned to regard Shirley and paused for a moment. He'd worked with her only once before posing as her driver/bodyguard for a relatively simple job a few months earlier. He'd decided then that she wasn't as young as she looked and that she knew what she was doing but knew little else about her.
"The main thing, if it is brand new is to make sure none of the oil has settled while it was stored and to get a look around the moving parts. If it's an older piece than you'd want to make sure that the rifling is clean and that there's no residue that could cause a misfire or misfeed. A dirty weapon is like a dull knife, more dangerous to the user than anybody else. When we get out here, come by and I'll show you how to clean it and what cleaners to buy." He paused trying to think about what he'd said and make sure it didn't come off creepy, inviting a teenage girl to his room. He shrugged it off in the end. He knew he didn't mean anything by it and everyone at the table knew a working weapon was sometimes the difference in life and death.

[♠Spade♠]

Luke was fairly sure that they shouldn't be discussing such things in a public location this enclosed. He was also fairly certain that any admonishment would seem even more suspicious to other patrons. God, he thought, why can't things be simple? Why can't people be more discreet? He pushed back his chair and stood, saying "If you'll excuse me for a minute." before making his way to the restroom. Once inside, he leaned on the counter and let out a heavy sigh. Muttering about stress, Luke pulled out a hip flask and took a long pull from it. Staring at himself in the mirror for a moment, he took a second pull and splashed some water on his face before returning to the table.

[Neon Knight]

The door of the teahouse opens, the staff promptly moving to greet the new customer. No doubt one or more pair of eyes belonging to the mercenaries follows the sound to its source, if only a momentary glance to see if a likely candidate for their contact has arrived.

And indeed, the man who has entered looks very much like the representative of an eccentric client interested in odd artifacts. An immaculate face man, a fellow who fits in with the locals, coming from a similar ancestry and speaking good Cantonese in conversational tones to the waitress, dressed in a sharp business style clearly of the West. He looks around casually, dark eyes taking in everything without seemingly being interested in anything in particular.

After a few more words with the waitress, the man picks up a briefcase and moves in their direction, stopping by their table. "Good morning to you." He bows formally. "I apologize for the delay. My client, Mr. Zhuge, sent me ahead to begin the preliminary meeting."

[RdMarquis]

What, you mean like the guy from Dynasty Warriors? She thought as she heard their client's name. Joking aside, she was interested to learn more about the artifact.

Lorelei introduced herself, smiling. "Nice to meet you. My name is Shirley. Shirley Shang. Won't you sit down?"

[Damian Jade]

Johnny tracked the man as he approached the table. Shirley took the lead in the conversation. Johnny decided he liked watching people try to react or not react to a seeming youth as the spokesperson. He never knew what people might let slip in that moment of indecision but it was always good to watch. He transferred the toothpick to his mouth smoothly and began making a half dollar dance across the knuckles of his left hand as he listened.

[Neon Knight]

There was perhaps a flicker of reaction across the man's face when Shirley took the lead in the discussion, perhaps maybe a slight indication of interest, and a brief glance at the others. The man took a seat at the table promptly, placing his briefcase on the ground beside him. "Mr. Zhuge was very pleased when word arrived that you were successful. I have the full amount here, for your inspection."

The man reached down to pull his briefcase onto the table. Above their table, the songbird in the cage fluttered its wings, the movement of the air blowing a shed feather from the wicker floor of the cage and into the air. The white feather began to gently float towards their table, gently falling through the air.

There were other patrons near and far, at various tables, concerned with their own business. Talking, reading newspapers or books, eating, drinking tea. The waitress that had greeted the man was across the room from them; their table was situated in the far right corner of the room, and the waitress was tending to a table in the bottom right corner, the main entrance being in the bottom left corner in the room.

Derek King had precise senses. It was necessary in his profession to be perceptive, for various reasons. Out of his peripheral vision, he notes something; the waitress talking to a fellow who had apparently just come in and sat down, a fellow still in his coat and who had yet to return his hat. The waitress was in between them and the man, but suddenly she slightly shifted to the side, giving a clean line of sight between them and the coat wearing man. Derek notes the slightest of movement as the man removes something from his coat and slips his hand underneath the table in a single, swift movement; the profile of a handgun with a long silencer on the barrel. Underneath the table, the man's arm lines up with their contact's back, who is sitting facing away from that direction.

The songbird in the cage above them begins to trill sweetly, filling the air with the beautiful notes of its song.


I rolled Spot checks for everybody, and only Derek made his. Since Derek is aware of what is going on, he gets a chance to react in whichever way he chooses. If he chooses to start combat, it will be a surprise round with him and the Coatman getting turns.

[Freshmeat]

For a moment, Derek pauses in a strange mixture of recognition and surprise. He blinks, as if to ensure that he wasn't mistaking an everyday item for a concealed weapon. But in that instant, as it dawns on him that the man across the room is indeed armed, his innate reflexes take over before he even fully realizes what he's doing.

With a sudden movement that could easily be mistaken for a small leap, Derek stands up and violently pushes the team's contact aside, out of harm's way.

"Get down!" he yells, as he reaches inside his jacket, fingers instinctively searching and finding their way to his Colt M1911.

Before anyone gets a chance to respond, he gives a quick nod in the direction of their contact's would-be assassin.
"Guy in the trenchcoat over there. Armed."

Move Action (draw Colt)
Standard Action (push our contact away, down on the ground or something)

[Neon Knight]

Derek's quick and decisive action probably saved their contact's life; when the assassin saw Derek begin to react, he pulled the trigger, trying to keep his muzzle in line with the target, but Derek's shove pushed the contact clear. The weapon made no sound audible in the teahouse, but the round striking the wood of the table did. The assassin stood up as the various patrons began to react to the commotion.

The contact was surprised to be pushed over and unseated, but stayed down when Derek next spoke, reaching inside his suit jacket.


Roll Initiative and get me first round actions. The Coatman is the only obvious opponent currently, but others may appear.

[AvianMalkavian]

Dhyrn watched as Derek jumped out and pushed their contact out of the way, too slow to react to what was happening immediately. As he realized what was happening, he leapt up from his seat, quickly looking around the place for the attacker before following Derek's nod and catching sight of the man.

He didn't waste any time, running full out towards the man and pulling his fist back. The gnoll charged right at the would-be assassin, throwing his punch straight at him with everything he had.


I'm moving and then charging the coatman with an unarmed attack.

Initiative Roll:
Attack Roll: [roll1]
Damage Rolls: [roll]1d6+7 [roll2]

[AvianMalkavian]

Sorry, looks like I messed up the d6 roll. Let me try that again.

[roll0]

[Freshmeat]

Initiative: [roll0]

[RdMarquis]

The edges of Lorelei's mouth curled up in a smirk. "Really? A big coat and a hat? That's the outfit you're going with? I thought this was 2010, not 1920."

Inside, however, her stomach was churning. She was not used to fighting. But, she had to protect their guest. The half-fey pulled the handgun from her briefcase and fired at the assassin.

Unfortunately, her hands were shaking so much that her shot went wide.

Initiative: [roll]1d20+3[roll]
Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[RdMarquis]

I don't know what I did wrong, but let me try that initiative roll again.
[roll0]

[Damian Jade]

Johnny didn't ask questions or double check Derek, he simply and calmly rolled to the floor and began looking for trouble. He'd been paid to keep Shirley safe once before and his instinct was to do so again. It's because she looks so young, he thought but instinct is hard to fight. "Shirley get behind me," he rasped. Watching as the gnoll took off. Dheryn didn't need protecting just cover and back up. Johnny drew his Glock, holding it low as he looked for targets.


Initiative:[roll0]
Quick Draw makes pulling the Glock a free action.
Johnny will look for anyone that needs to be shot, including the man Dheryn is attacking if he's still on his feet

[♠Spade♠]

Luke practically jumped out of his chair as Derek's warning called him to action. Seeing the old man go for his gun, the North Carolinian said "No! I want him alive!" Pulling out what appeared to be a black, plastic brick, he dashed after the big gnoll. If the stranger was somehow still on his feet after Dhyrn hit him, Luke intended to jab the man with his brick, giving around 100,000 volts.


Initiative:[roll0]
If my initiative is greater than Dhyrn's, then I would delay until right after him. Then if our mystery gunman is still up...
Stun gun drawn during move, attack roll is [roll1](extra +2 for charging). Assuming I hit, [roll2] electricity damage, and a DC 15 fort save or become paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.(I assume you would want to roll that last one).

[♠Spade♠]

That would appear to threaten crit, so:[roll0]. If that confirms, he instead takes six points of electricity damage plus the save.

[Neon Knight]

It started out fast; Shirley returned a shot quickly. Her pistol barked but had no bite, striking the wall and splintering the wood paneling. Johnny couldn't see any more obvious targets; most people were heading for the exits quite quickly with a rather loud commotion of scuffing chairs, shouts and screams. The waitress was standing slightly off the side to the table as Dhyrn and Luke rushed onto the waiting assassin.

The gnoll's blow was solid; a clean straight right into his opponent's face. even a very strong normal man would have been clocked clean out by it, but the assassin took the blow, although the chair behind him went crashing to the floor as he was pushed back into it.

Luke placed his stun gun very precisely, keeping full contact between the electrodes and his opponent's body as the discharge raced through him. Something akin to a snarl was torn from the figure's throat, but it remained standing and clearly in control of its functions.

Beneath the brim of his hat and high collar, both Dyrn and Luke got a look at the man's features, which seemed normal and human enough. Small eyes beneath a highbrow, rough physical features, sallow skin; Angular facial structure, cleanshaven.

The coatman kicked over the table he had been sitting at and drove it against both Dyrn and Luke, blocking them from him and trying to shove them back.


Dyrn and Luke can either make a Strength check to hold their ground and push back, or a reflex save to move 5 feet to the side. If they fail their check, they'll be pushed back 5 feet. If either of you think of an alternative way to engage or interact with this situation, feel free to propose it. Actions from everyone else.



Initiative Order:
Luke
Derek
Lorelei/Johnny
Dhyrn
Coatman

[Damian Jade]

Johnny seeing no other targets takes careful aim at the assassin. He slows his breathing and takes a two handed grip from his kneeling position. He's waiting for the other two to move away, looking for his moment.


[roll0] (BAB+7+1for the Glock and if we're under thirty feet then there is another +1 coming. Precise shot negates the melee penalty.
Damage[roll1]

[Damian Jade]

Throwing in an Action Point on that shot.

Hit roll 10+[roll0]

[RdMarquis]

It suddenly occurred to Shirley that the situation was getting quite serious. She nodded at Johnny and scooted closer to him. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then aimed at the assassin's legs, hoping to disable him without killing him.

"Got you this time." The bullet buried itself into his thigh.

Attack:[roll0]
Damage:[roll1]

[RdMarquis]

I need to roll to make sure it is a critical hit.

Hit:[roll0]

[♠Spade♠]

Why is he still standing? Luke thought, just before the table came flying in his direction. Caught off guard, he stumbled away, trying to dodge around it and intending to give the assailant another dose of voltage.


Reflex to dodge to the side:[roll0]

Assuming I succeed, five foot step diagonally to pass behind the table and back into melee, followed by another jab with the stun gun.
Attack roll:[roll1]
Damage:[roll2] electricity, plus another DC15 fort save.

[AvianMalkavian]

Dhyrn was awfully pleased with his right hook, a big hyena grin on his face. Of course, things took a quick turn, and he had just enough time to wonder why Luke was jumping away before finding himself face to face with a table. Rather than avoid it, however, he decided to stand his ground and try and catch the thing, maybe even push it right back.

Strength Check to Push Back: [roll0]

[♠Spade♠]

Using an action point on my reflex save:[roll0]

[Freshmeat]

With their contact safely out of the way, Derek takes cover behind a nearby table. He levels his handgun at the assassin, trying to get a clear shot through all of the melee, and squeezes the trigger as soon as he sees an opportunity.

Attack [roll0] (shooting into melee, point blank shot)
Damage: [roll1]

[Neon Knight]

Luke just barely manages to get around the table, pressing the stun gun home for another round of discharge through the assassin's frame. He can clearly hear the sound of the device at work, but once again the assassin manages to hold his ground and largely stay on his feet. There is a definite lack of response; there are no signs of convulsions or spasming of the muscles in his body language or movements.

The rest of the crew began to open up on the assassin, the gunshots loud and noisy in the tea house. Most of the birds had been sent into an axious panic by now, fluttering about their cages and filling the air with anxious cries. Any patrons that could easily escape by now have probably managed to do so, with a few remaining, crouched low and behind cover, eithe paralyzed with fear or unwilling to move through what may be a crossfire to escape.

Derek's round just misses the assassin, tearing through the brim of his hat on the side. Lorelei's bullet strikes home and rips a pained snarl from the assassin; and unfortunately, it seems to have struck a major artery, judging by the blood produced.

Johnny's bullet strikes wood as the assassin shifts slightly; Dhyrn was pushed back by the table thrust, which gives the assassin enough room to try and make a break for it. He tosses the table down and runs quickly for the door, leaving dark blood in his wake.


Initiative Order:
Luke
Derek
Lorelei/Johnny
Dhyrn
Coatman

[♠Spade♠]

Luke stared at the stun gun as though it had betrayed him. Dropping it, he then chased after the man, reaching out to try and grab him before he made it outside. "Don't let him escape!"


Assuming we have the same movement speed, I charge and try to initiate a grapple.
Grabbing[(melee touch) additional +2 for charging]:[roll0]

Hold[(opposed grapple check) if I hit]:[roll1]

If I succeed on that check, I believe he takes [roll2] subdual damage.


Edit: Wow, that was some pretty hardcore fail, right there.

[Neon Knight]

OOC: Since Luke is first on the initiative order, I can go ahead and resolve his action.

Luke leapt after the fleeing assassin, but was unable to get a grip on the retreating longcoat.

[Freshmeat]

As the assassin breaks off into a run, Derek chases after him, pausing only to take a careful, calculated shot at the man's leg just before he'd reach the door.

Attack: [roll0] (point blank shot, [no longer shooting into melee])
Damage: [roll1]

[RdMarquis]

Lorelei follows Derek's lead, hoping to lame their assailant with another bullet in the leg. They had to get to the bottom of this, and the man in a trenchcoat would have answers.


Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Damian Jade]

Johnny rolls his neck carefully and tries for a leg shot.


To Hit: [roll0] (Ranged+7, Glock+1, PBS+1)
Dmg:[roll1]

[AvianMalkavian]

Dhyrn picked himself up, looking awfully embarrassed about it before charging straight at the man to knock him down.

Attempting an overrun. The assassin can avoid me or block me. If he avoids me, I move right past him and can try and cut off his escape route and if he blocks me I get to make an attempt to trip him.

[Neon Knight]

A hail of bullets surrounded the coatman as he made a desperate dash for the door, the sounds of wood being struck and rended filling the air as splinters flew. The sound of a round striking flesh was still audible as Derek struck home. The assassin staggers, clearing pushed to his limits and the very brink of what his form was capable of as Dhyrn came down upon him.


Go ahead and make the trip check.

[AvianMalkavian]

The man seemed intent on getting knocked on his ass, and so Dhyrn was quite happy to leave himself open to an attack as he throw himself at him.

Trip Attack: [roll0]

As I have no special feat that would make it otherwise, the assassin gets an attack of opportunity against me.

[AvianMalkavian]

And, of course, I forget to also roll the Strength check in case the attack hits, this is against the assassin's own Dex or Strength check (whichever has a higher modifier).

[roll0]

[Neon Knight]

Dhyrn barrels down upon the fleeing assassin, over running the feeling man as he limps to the door. He turned and raised his fists as Dhyrn came upon him, but it was too late. The two went crashing to the wooden floor, the man's hat being knocked off as the crash of their landing filled the small room.


Same initiative, but this situation is only a turn or two away from resolution.

[♠Spade♠]

Now that the stranger was down, Luke figured it would be best to remove the gun from the equation. Stepping over, he attempted to kick the weapon away.


If he has brawl or some such, I would provoke an AoO, then there is an opposed attack roll:[roll0]

[Freshmeat]

Derek moves closer, keeping his gun trained on the asssassin, and casts a quick glance to see if everyone is still okay.

Readied action to shoot the assassin in the leg again, should he break free of the melee and try to escape.

[Neon Knight]

The gun, some model of Makarov with an integral silencer, is easily moved aside, skidding across the floor away from the assassin.

The assassin, for his part, puts his hands behind his head and stays quiet. It seems that they have his cooperation for now.

Their contact arises from the place where he has stayed in cover for the duration of the brief scuffle, brushing at his suit. "A most inauspicious occurrence... and a most curious one."

[Damian Jade]

Johnny quickly holsters his own firearm and moves to retrieve the Makarov which he moves to an inside pocket on his coat. "We should probably move this discussion to a quieter place. I have the feeling this one is moment away from being flooded with uniforms and all those flashing lights they love so much."

[RdMarquis]

"G-good idea," stammered Lorelei. She motioned to the prone assassin. "We should probably help him up, because I'm not carrying him." She giggled nervously.

Shaking hands put up the safety on the Glock and placed the laptop back into the briefcase. She took a few breaths to calm herself. Lorelei was a little disappointed that the battle had shaken her, but she had signed on to use her powers of persuasion, not marksmanship.

"Oh, by the way. Thanks for looking after me, Mr. Parrot." She flashed a mischievous smile at Johnny.

[AvianMalkavian]

"On it," Dhyrn picked himself up and dusted off his clothes before grabbing the assassin and putting the man's arms behind his back, yanking on them painfully as he pulled him up to his feet.

"Try anything funny, and I'll snap you like a twig. Got it?"

[Damian Jade]

Johnny tips his hat at Lorelei. "Glad to be of assistance."

[Neon Knight]

The assassin hisses in pain between clenched teeth as he is hauled to his feet, nodding slightly to the gnoll behind him, but not uttering a word.

Their contact quickly checks his watch and then glances out the door. "The police are assuredly on thier way, although it is possible that bribe on our enemy's part may keep them delayed for a bit, so as to inusre this agent's escape. Nevertheless, It would indeed be best if we could keep this matter private. I feel that this was a desperate gesture by desperate men, and it would not be wise to delay that which they were so eager to halt. I have a car waiting nearby that can move us to another location, if you would be so inclined."

[Damian Jade]

Johnny nods and moves toward the door cracking it open to check for snipers or police, slipping his hat off he holds it out as though a person were cautiously slipping their head out. "Old cowboy trick." Looking at the contact he asks, "Which way is your car?"

[♠Spade♠]

Pausing only to retrieve his stun gun, Luke gave Dhyrn a congratulatory pat on the shoulder before moving after Johnny.

[RdMarquis]

Lorelei picked up her briefcase and followed the others. On her way out, she grabbed some napkins from a table and wet them with the contents of a shattered teapot. Catching up with the group, she stood on her tiptoes and plugged up their assailant's ears.

She then removed his hat. "Now, let's have a look at that pretty face..."

[Neon Knight]

The contact indicates the left side of the street. "A block or so in that direction. We should make haste." The coast is clear, although police sirens may be heard in the distance. Some of the patrons and staff that ended up trapped inside the teahouse are collecting themselves, nearly all of them giving the group a wide berth. The contact slipped something to the person working the front of the house with a few murmured words, which if overheard are assurances of adequate re-compensation.

Underneath his hat, the assassin looks mostly normal. If you passed by him on the street and got only a glance at him, you wouldn't look twice at him. But under the closer scrutiny Lorelei no doubt gives him, something is revealed to be off. The texture and appearance of the skin isn't proper, and the eyes are very strange, particularly the pupils. The bulky clothing choice is at least in part seemingly explained.

[RdMarquis]

Although his odd appearance had not escaped her notice, Shirley's removal of his hat and plugging of his ears were intended to distract the assassin. In the minute or two it had taken him to react to and wonder about her actions, Lorelei had discreetly checked for any other weapons or equipment.

[roll0]

She muttered to herself as the group exited through a back door. "Hmm, how odd. Almost like a doll, this man. I wonder if he'd be offended if I called him Ken?"

[Damian Jade]

Johnny opens the door, "O.k. let's get going spread out in two and threes and make our way to the car." He slips the pistol into his jacket pocket keeping his hand on it as he makes his way out scouting ahead. He holds his hat in his left hand by his side and moves casually as though sightseeing.

[♠Spade♠]

Luke waits until everyone else exits, bringing up the rear. As he trails the next to last person by about ten feet, he pulls out his phone and brings up the speed dial. Walking along, he confirms that 852-2841-2211, 852-2841-2225, 852-2841-2323 are set to six, seven, and eight, respectively. Nine is set to 852-2841-9011.

[Freshmeat]

Derek holsters his gun and pulls the hem of his vest down so the weapon wouldn't be clearly visible. He follows Johnny outside, takes a quick look around, then walks down the street towards the direction of where their contact's car should be parked.

Spot: [roll0]