Ju-Ju House - 03

[TheUdjat]

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Thinking of a way to discreetly investigate this peculiar shop, it is decided to send Thurman and Rebecca within, under the pretense of being interested in the genuine artifacts the store carries. The rest resolve to wait outside. [Let me know if you’d like to do anything specific while out there, or just hang around.]

Taking a moment to figure out their story, Rebecca and Thurman proceed into Ju-Ju House. The wooden door hits a bell on the way in, announcing their arrival, and the pungent smell of some spice mixed with the mustiness of ancient relics hits you full-force. The air is thick, here, and the lights somehow dimmer than one would expect.

The interior of the shop is crowded, unkempt, and not entirely clean. Rows of shelves clutter the floor, piled high with more African tribal artifacts and devil masks, leather-headed drums, carved giraffes and wildebeest, dull, primitive weapons intended for display, ivory warthogs, and so on. [Occult rolls.] By some miracle, Thurman recognizes the significance of several African carvings and symbols throughout the room—they are used in African tribal magic. [Although Rebecca failed her roll, her Occult is high enough to recognize the significance of the objects if Thurman points them out.] Besides the pair, there are a couple other customers milling about the store, examining items, casually browsing. Both of them are black, and seem somewhat surprised to see the two higher-class Caucasians entering the store.

Directly ahead, through the mess and narrow aisles, an elderly black man stands behind the shop’s counter. More little items are crowded on shelves behind him, near a phone, and a humble register sits nearby. He smiles warmly when Thurman and Rebecca enter. “Good day!” he says in a thick African accent. “Welcome to Ju-Ju House. I can help you?” By the sound of his voice, his stance, and his overall appearance, this many must be somewhere in his seventies, though he seems surprisingly spry, and his eyes watch you attentively.



The older man frowns apologetically. “I am sorry, but I have nothing here from the Egypt. All items authentic,” he says the word as if he just learned it, “from Kenya.” He pauses in thought. “But we have pottery? Could make a good gift, yes?” He holds an example up from a shelf behind him, evidently eager to please.

[MaestroXC]

[Sam remains outside]

Standing with his hands in his pockets and his collar turned up against the chill, Sam keeps a lookout for anyone else entering the small courtyard. Turning to Tommy, he expands upon an idea that had just struck him.

"You did pretty well last night at the warehouse, Tommy. I'm glad we were able to get something out of it after all the hullabaloo. Your skills are certainly up to the task.

Since Rebecca and I are definitely going to Jackson's funeral tomorrow, we may be putting ourselves in some danger, but I believe we can make some good out of it. Here's what I think; you can stay in the background, perhaps out on the street even, and when we leave you'll follow us, watching our backs and keeping an eye out for any tails we might have picked up. That way we can lead them on a bit of a chase, and possibly corner them."

Sam's brow wrinkles in concentration. "Jonah Kensington will be there as well; he may also be in danger. Jeremy might be able to do the same, keep an eye on him, at least until he makes it home. Whatever his shortcomings, that kid knows the streets, and if Jonah picks up a tail, he'll be able to pass on a message or call the police.

What do you think? I doubt we aroused any suspicion last night, but there may be eyes on us nonetheless."

[Toptomcat]

The prizefighter watches the two in the curio shop, thinking about what he ought to do tomorrow during the funeral.
Should I go just to protect Rebecca and Sam, or should I use the time to try and accomplish something? Decisions, decisions...

[Japic]

Gently turning down the pottery Thurman resumes his survey of the shop. He picks up one of the previously noted articles and looks at it a little more closely. "This is beautiful; where in Kenya do you get such fine artifacts?" he inquires of the shop keeper making small talk, while trying to get a feel for the item's origination. He's not really sure what sort of information fishing they should be doing, so he's careful to maintain the facade of their visit while gathering what information he can. He has no trouble showing earnest interest in the artifacts, since these ar the sort of things he hoped to find on his uaual escavations.

Hopefully Rebecca had some specific questions to ask.

[VemuKhaham]

When Thurman and Rebecca went inside, Jeremy looked through the door and saw that Samuel was not there. As such, he stopped staring at the shop and now stood somewhat aimlessly near the others, shivering from the cold. Then his name was mentioned and tomorrow's funeral, but Jeremy shook his head. "Sunday I go to the poorhouse. Sunday Susan visits me. Can't go to funeral, no. Can't. Sunday she comes, she does." At the sheer thought and prospect of this, Jeremy's face brightened visibly. After all, it was perhaps the last remainder of consistency that Jeremy still had left, especially now that Samuel was gone. There would be no convincing Jeremy to change that.

[Yakumo]

Turning towards Sam, "Thanks, I guess. I've done some things I'm not proud of and you pick up a certain skill set when people pay you to retrieve information." he says, almost regretfully. "If you two are set on going to the funeral then I think you are right, we should definitely keep an eye on you and Mr. Kensington. I don't know if the kid should be alone though. Perhaps you can help out on watch duty Joe?" Tommy thinks for a moment, "Mind if I just call you Jack, for simplicity sake?"

"Anyway, Joe, the Doc, Rebecca, and Sam can all go to the funeral, all of them would have a legitimate excuse for being there, being academic and reporterly types, and from the sidelines Myself and Jack can watch you guys and Mr. Kensington. The kid should definitely be paired with one of us though, just in case you know?"

[VemuKhaham]

"Sunday Susan visits. Jeremy goes to poorhouse. No funeral."

[BluSpecs]

Joe' waits outside with the others.

"We could dig up some good info at this funeral. Who know who will shopw up and be around the edges watching..."

[Aegea]

Rebecca's mind is racing furiously. Her instincts are telling her (whether they're correct or not) that they shouldn't directly mention Jackson's name...unless they absolutely have to. The sense of unease she felt outside of the store is still lingering, and she has no idea what the man behind the counter is really like, despite his friendly smile.

While Thurman asks his question of the man, she feels that one of them should probably attempt to find out what this man's name is. She decides that she shouldn't use her real name, either..

[asking this after Thurman and the man talk about the artifact] "Your shop truly has some incredible finds," she tells the man, letting some of her natural interest in the items around her show through. "This might actually really help me with a research paper I'm doing on, uh, African artifacts...I'm Julia, by the way. What may I call you, sir?"

[MaestroXC]

bluspecs said:

Joe' waits outside with the others.

"We could dig up some good info at this funeral. Who know who will shopw up and be around the edges watching..."

Sam turns Joe, chuckling. "Hah, Joe, I certainly hope we can find something, or at least avoid being trapped ourselves, but don't let anyone at the funeral hear you talking about 'digging things up!' I'm there for Jackson though, first of all. It's a shame that even on a solemn occasion like that that we'll have to watch our backs."