Preliminary Investigations - 10

[TheUdjat]

After some discussion, it is finally decided that you will all head down to Emerson Imports, in hopes of discovering some clue of what became of Samuel – if not discovering Samuel himself, who has obviously been kidnapped by someone. Taking a cab (or driving yourselves), you all make it down to the vicinity of Emerson Imports, but are sure to walk the last block or so – in case you’d like your visit to be more discreet than not.

The building itself is a long warehouse, with a loading dock at either end to transfer cargo to the harbor nearby. As expected, the lights are off inside the warehouse, indicating that the place is closed. Judging by its exterior, you guess that the entire first floor of the building is devoted to storage and shipping, and that any offices are located on second floor of the building.

Beyond the building on either end is a long lot for trucks to maneuver or park, with two such trucks already parked. A fence surrounds the building on all side, but it is chain-linked and only about six and a half feet tall – no wire tops it. It would be a simple matter to cut or climb over it. The gate is chained with a weak padlock, but this, too, could be dealt with.

[Actions?]

[Yakumo]

Tommy will pull out his trusty kit and attempt to pick the lock. (Locksmith roll, please) Failing that he will attempt to climb the fence if no one else has an idea.

Forgot to do the roll, thought it was something you did. Against a 44% skill [dice=100][rand=75687341804753530883448831492564886968683165487339244949866350851]

[VemuKhaham]

Jeremy was eager to get inside. There might not be any lights burning inside the big warehouse, but surely Samuel would be inside there! He had been silent during the journey to the place and remained so even now, like he still held himself to the promise he made to be silent for as long as they were investigating this place. Jeremy didn't heed the gate, and simply climbed over the fence as soon as he got near. His ragged clothes were already torn and so he couldn't care less about them. The first obstacle was an easy one, but deep inside Jeremy's focused mind was being violently disturbed by a great fear for the kidnappers of Samuel and worse, those who did those cruel things to poor mr. Elias.

[climb 47%]

[Toptomcat]

'Jackhammer' Joe keeps a weather eye out for anything odd going on inside the property- anything that might indicate that a lookout has been posted or that some activity still remains in some corner of the warehouse.
Listen [dice=100]
Spot Hidden [dice=100][rand=411076466420195407839303722199497363250438816882232703992990418318]

[MaestroXC]

Sam has put on an old coat, some more comfortable shoes, and a knit cap. As the winter evening darkens and the temperature drops, he keeps a wary eye out for any movement at all in the warehouse lot, or the streets around them.

[As TTC did, is it necessary to roll for Listen and Spot Hidden checks, Udjat, or is that something done behind the scenes?]

"Alright, everybody, I suggest we take a look at the easy stuff first, maybe those trucks over there, and then go inside. If you see any people or alarms of any kind, freeze and get behind cover. Leave the door here unlocked but closed; if we have to dash out we don't want anything in our way."

Sam will wait for Tommy to get the door open, and afterwards lead everyone over to the trucks, unless someone has a better idea.

[Aegea]

It suddenly hits Rebecca that they're essentially breaking and entering. She feels a wave of anxiety as thoughts race through her...she didn't quite realize they were actually going to be climbing fences or picking locks.

Realizing it's a bit late to run off by herself now, though, when it's pitch black and in a city she's not terribly familiar with, she sighs and stands by the others, hoping that they won't have to resort to climbing the fence (after all, she's wearing nylons...and a skirt). This is for Jackson, she tells herself grimly.

[Japic]

{Yah, we need to be on the lookout for yard dogs, the original alarm system. Take whichever rolls you need Keeper.}

Not that he was opposed to the idea precisely, but Thurman isn't liking the present circumstances. They came to get information, but they're breaking in, not exactly the plan of approach he was anticipating. Thinking back on his own research he quickly realized that excavating a site to find things long lost was precisely like breaking in to their personal lives. Somehow he'd drawn an unanticipated boundary between living and dead owners. Well, like they say. It's not illegal if you don't get caught. he thinks to himself.

He watches over the PIs shoulder as he goes to work on the lock; hoping that they would not need to climb. If the need to flee should arise it wouldn't do to be fenced in.

[TheUdjat]

[Per my original post in ‘The Meeting with Elias – 01’:

- I will be doing most of the rolling, and most of it will be done off-screen. This keeps the game moving, and keeps away any temptation to metagame a roll result. The rolls I won’t make (unless specifically requested) are: attack rolls, damage, and sanity rolls (I will do sanity loss, however). You are always welcome to state that you are using a skill, even if you don’t actually roll it (example: You enter a room and request an Art roll to identify some of the paintings and statues inside.) I hope this doesn’t bother anybody, but it’s really the smoothest and easiest way for things to get done.

But I don’t have a real problem with players making rolls in which the outcome would be obviously known (i.e. Tommy’s Locksmith roll is okay, because it will be obvious if he succeeds or fails). This is also to allow me to decide whether a roll warrants a + or – to the % chance, due to ease or difficulty, before seeing the result of said roll.

I’ll let all rolls stand for now, but in the future, please try to leave ‘unknown’ rolls to me (particularly Spot Hidden and Listen).]

---

Tommy heads forward to deal with the lock, withdrawing his trusty lockpicking tools. [First check fails. I will allow repeat tries, it just takes more time.] His first attempt failing, Tommy squints at the lock, trying to see it in the dim light while he works.

Without hesitation, Jeremy heads for the fence, looking to scramble over it. [Climb check, especially easy due to plenty of handholds. Success.] Jeremy easily hefts himself up and over the fence, moving with surprising grace and agility.

Meanwhile, ‘Jackhammer’ Joe and Sam scope out the area, trying to make absolutely sure that they’re alone. [Spot/Listen checks.] While peering around the area, Jackhammer catches the quick flicker of a flashlight along one side of the building. The source of the light has not yet rounded the corner, but it appears to be a steady patrol of some sort – a night watchman, it would seem.

Just as Jackhammer notices the light, the padlock suddenly clicks open. Tommy has succeeded in picking the lock. It would be difficult to rush within until the guard passes, however, and Jeremy is already on the other side...

[There is time to Hide if you remain outside of the fence until the guard passes. Jeremy will have to do so on his side of the fence, and with a Sneak roll. Or some other plan can be constructed.]

[BluSpecs]

This was nothing new for joe, he wouldn't have gotten hal the stories he did if he didn't break and enter on occasion....


Joe makes a move to hide from the guard, being seen wouldn't be good at all....

[Yakumo]

Tommy hisses a warning to Jeremy to hide, and then hides himself, leaving the padlock in place but undone as to not arouse suspicion. Tommy will run from the fence and attempt to hide further away. (Hide: 44% Roll: [dice=100])[rand=90121836788062945140714584083533624059359665356905349416055608047]

[Japic]

{At a presumed warning from Jackhammer}

Seeing the upcoming trouble Thurman does the best thing he can think of and reaches for Ms Deveroux. "Play along Darling, lets go for a walk," he whispers, "Time for a distraction, maybe he can even tell us something." He would like to stroll along the sidewalk, arm in arm with Ms Deveroux casting casual glances at the surrounding neighborhood. If/when the guard spots them he'd like to strike up a conversation. They're just out for a stroll and by engaging him in conversation it may provide the others with a timely distraction.

While caution might have bought them a chance at wholly avoiding detection Thurman figures that fortune favors the daring. Time to be daring. Hopefully this is a neighborhood where folks might actually be about and not some industrial area completely devoid of life. Thankfully they're on the right side of the fence and only interested in what this business is about.

[VemuKhaham]

Jeremy hears Tommy hiss a warning at him, and he instantly falls to the ground or runs to the nearest obstacle he can find. Perhaps the trucks will do, if they are close by enough. He had hidden from people like this before, often for cops or other angry homeless-haters. Yet the fear was definitely greater this time around.

As he too noticed the flashlight and the men, Jeremy began to feel an urge to... hurt the man; attack him, hit him, like they had done to mr. Elias, and Samuel. It was an anger from frustration, like he had sometimes felt with his former kidnappers. Yet for now, his fear contained his rage, and he simply lay quiet, peering at the guard from the darkness with big, angry eyes.

[Sneak 58%]

[Aegea]

Quickly grasping how effective Thurman's idea could be, Rebecca immediately plays along. She lets Dr. Thurman take her arm and attempts to conjure up a relaxed smile for anyone who might be watching them. She constantly casts glances in the direction of the guard, trying to gauge how close he is to them.

"Oh Darling, what a beautiful evening it is for a walk!" she says, slightly more loudly than she normally would. "This reminds me of that first date of ours, do you remember?" She leans into him a bit as a lover affectionately would.

[MaestroXC]

Taking Tommy's lead, Sam will run to the next building or nearest cover and attempt to Hide, adopting the manner of a homeless man, huddled in the darkness with his coat pulled tightly around him.

Hide:
[dice=100][rand=62230197242895497435225351151209290995227136201311431108176565685]