[IC] Sudden Payback (Session 2)

Mar 17, 2020 3:16 pm
In the gym music

As nightfall looms, Hank, Red, Marv, and Max text each other updates and agree to meet up the next morning at the One-Two Gym. You all pass a relatively peaceful night at home; it feels good to get a good night's rest and do "normal" things, like cooking dinner, playing a game, or binging Netflix.

The next morning, you head back to the gym around 9 AM. A ripped piece of police tape flapping in the breeze is the only reminder of the outright brawl that happened here just hours before. Curiously, there's a car parked in the small lot, and the door is unlocked...

The four of you go in cautiously, looking for any sign of trouble. The locker rooms, bathrooms, gym floor, and utility closets all seem clear, though. Then, in Lance's office, you spot him: an older man in a Hawaiian shirt and canvas shorts, thumbing through a manila folder from Lance's filing cabinet.

SavageBob sent a note to nezzeraj
[ +- ] Lance's Office
OOC:
So, sorry for the long preamble, but I didn't want to belabor introducing nezzeraj's character. Roleplaying through all that would have taken a week or two in PbP!

Everyone is back to full Strain now. Anyone who was down Wounds gets back 5 from natural rest, thanks to Max's Apothecary talent (buffed up from 1 normally). Technically, you should have to be in Max's "care," but let's assume he pestered you all via text to get some sleep.

Nez, feel free to introduce your character. The others are presumably curious, if not alarmed, to find you at Lance's desk...
Mar 17, 2020 3:41 pm
Max closes the book on eastern medicine through modern day drug store supplies and looks at the others and realizes no one else recognized him. "Morning Sir, you wouldn't by chance want to fill us in on how you got in and what you're doing right?"
Mar 17, 2020 4:52 pm
"You're absolutely correct, I wouldn't want to do that. I find people talk too much as it is. 'Good as is discourse, silence is better and shames it.' Emerson. Do they still teach him in school?" Guy waves the question away. "Nevermind. Well I'll make you a deal, you tell me what the hell happened here and I'll tell you why I'm here to clean up the mess."
Mar 17, 2020 6:05 pm
"Well honestly Modern Lit is still an elective course in college so technically don't see why they wouldn't. As for the deal unless you plan on flashing a badge of some three letter agency Sir, well I'd state your commentary may put you on the active detective's list for suspects in an ongoing investigation. Do you own a van with a tag starting with 'B.A.W.' and/or have a recently purchased mask in your possession."
Mar 17, 2020 6:29 pm
SavageBob sent a note to nezzeraj
Mar 18, 2020 12:16 am
"A mask like the ones the incompetent kidnappers wore last night? No. And if you're not going to be subtle about it, you might as well describe the mask while you're at it. And if I did have a badge, it would definitely have three letters because my name's Guy." He smiles at his own joke. "As for the license plate, who the hell memorizes their plate number? But I don't own a van if it makes you feel better. I'm here because Lance asked me to come deal with this mess. He explained over the phone that there was an attempted kidnapping last night with him as the intended target. And since you're not curious about what happened here I'm guessing you were involved. So who are you?"
Mar 18, 2020 12:57 am
Hank steps forward, angling his wide shoulders to fit past Max. At 6'5'' and 250 pounds, he's always felt too big for Lance's office. Trying to squeeze into it with three other full-grown men just seems absurd. "Glad to hear you're a friend of Lance. Because if this was a second try at nabbing him, it was looking even more incompetent than the first. Henry Rodrigo, good to meet ya. I work here at the One-Two with Lance." As he reaches out to shake Guy's hand, he jostles a filing cabinet, making it squeal and scrape against the wall. "Uh, jeez. Cozy in here." He smiles and runs his hand through his thinning hair.
Last edited March 18, 2020 12:58 am
Mar 18, 2020 1:17 am
"A pleasure. I won't be in your hair too long. Lance asked me to come in and organize the clean up here. I was just looking for insurance forms, subcontracting invoices, that kind of stuff. Just have to call around, get some estimates for repairing those skylights, and put in the work order and I'll be out of the way." Guy looks around at the mess. "Not that you'll have much business today, I'd imagine. Look, I didn't have any plans today--I'm a spur of the moment kind of guy, yeah?--but if you need help cleaning up I could be persuaded to help out with a few beers and Chinese take out," Guy grins wolfishly.
Last edited March 18, 2020 1:17 am
Mar 18, 2020 2:34 am
Red seems to squirm a bit. "I'm Red," she tells the stranger. "Just a patron of the gym, really, but I got mixed up in the fight the other night." She looks to Max, Marv, and Hank as she takes a seat on the floor. "I'm still feeling pretty banged up from that fight with the Pantones yesterday. I... I can handle this paperwork stuff. Might be good to have Guy on your side if you get into any trouble today..."
OOC:
Red may be exiting PC play, but we can have her as a home base NPC.
Mar 18, 2020 2:45 am
Guy nods sympathetically. "Sparring is no substitute for a real fight. And fights hurt a lot more than most people realize." He looks at the others. "But I hope you all are not expecting to get into trouble today, yeah? It's been a long while since this body has been in a proper fight and I don't want to face reality about how far I've fallen," he chuckles.
Mar 18, 2020 11:20 am
"Considering our last few days fatality or severe bodily injury are a daily occurrence sir." Max admits.
Mar 18, 2020 12:14 pm
"Well I don't like the sound of that if I'm to be honest. I guess I can't say 'I'm too young to die', and saying 'I'm too old to die' just sounds downright stupid." Guy takes a seat on Lance's desk as he still idly leafs through some papers, setting a few down that are not the ones he's looking for. "I'm glad you were here to help out Lance last night. Question is, what are you--or we, after I get this repair stuff settled--going to do next?"
Mar 18, 2020 1:34 pm
OOC:
This might be a good opportunity for you to review your leads and how to possibly pursue them:

Havoc Hounds gang tag at the abandoned warehouse
Van registered to an owner in the Sticks
Prison guard Petrovich runs a regular work detail out in the Sticks
Finding the new location of the kidnappees (and why the previous one was abandoned)
Mar 18, 2020 4:40 pm
"Funny you should ask. We had a bit of luck yesterday checking out the warehouse district. Any a you heard of the Havoc Hounds? We were checking out a warehouse that seemed to be running some kinda illicit operation. Eastern European of some sort. They got out before we got in, but the place was tagged by the Havoc Hounds. Could be they're involved with managing the kidnapped folks.

Hank counts off other leads on his fingers. "What else do we got? There's a shady prison guard from Wholesome, seems to be running some kinda operation in the Sticks. Petrovich. He's Puttin' pressure on prisoners once they get out, and he's the common thread between Lance and the kidnapped leader of the Pantones. Then Max tracked down the registration of the van that tried to nab Lance, also points to the Sticks I think." He nods to Max for confirmation.

"So seems to me we decide if we investigate the Havoc Hounds and find out if they're connected, or chase down this van and hopefully the crooked guard along with it. I know where I'm leanin'. We find that van, we find somebody who knows something. And I'm sick and tired of knowing nothin.

But what do you guys think?"
Last edited March 18, 2020 4:41 pm
Mar 18, 2020 5:03 pm
"Looks like we're headed to the Sticks and on the lookout for Havoc Hound tags..."
Mar 19, 2020 3:44 am
"Much obliged, Guy. I'm Marv, me n' Max's careers are closer than either of us'd like to admit, but I promise no crooked nose business while we're tangled up together." Marv winks and rubs the side of his face where a bruise is still resolving when Guy mentions how bad real fighting hurts.

"All signs seem to be pointin' to the sticks. That Havoc Hounds warehouse was something else. Abandoned real quick-like, like they had a warning, but not a whole heap of it. I think jettin' out to take a peak at that Van might not be a bad idea. I'm guessin whoevers peeping needs a set of wheels to get around, and that's seeming like the most likely from what we've got so far. Y'know, it's real good to see some of Lance's old guard comin' out of the woodwork. How do you two know each other, anyway? He up and skittered out without more 'n a note to the lot of us and I thought we were friends. I'd think it was a bit to risky to be reachin' out to anybody who somebody knew he knew."
Last edited March 19, 2020 3:44 am
Mar 19, 2020 5:03 am
"My sister Deb used to work here back when it was a restaurant. She got to know Lance when ownership changed hands. Even rents an apartment from him. Well, I had been living in various countries thorughout Southeast Asia--moping more than living, if I'm honest--and one day I get a letter from Deb. Says 'Hey, quit moping, everyone gets old and no one can be king of the hill forever. Get your pity-party ass over here. It's this place nicknamed Rumble City, heart of a martial arts renaissance. Maybe you can find your mojo again. You can stay with me till you get your own place. I'll even hook you up with some contacts.' The contact being Lance. Maybe it was her way with words, or maybe she said exactly what I needed to hear, but got a plane ticket a week later, moved in with Deb, met Lance. I think I made a good impression on him. When we first met I told him, 'Hey, I may be washed up, but so is driftwood and people still find uses for that. Hell, some people even use it to make art.' He laughed and just like that we were friends, I think. I've been here just a couple years, doing odd jobs and teaching private lessons to students. Looking to open my own dojo some day, but for now just keeping it low key. Going with the flow, you know?"
Last edited March 19, 2020 5:05 am
Mar 19, 2020 1:47 pm
OOC:
Since this is the first Guy is hearing about the Havoc Hounds, he can try a Hard (PPP) Knowledge (Society) check for any background info on them. Take a boost since you have some context (in the Sticks, tied up with this kidnapping ring somehow).
Mar 19, 2020 3:51 pm
"Havoc Hounds?" Guy rubs his short beard. "Doesn't ring any bells."
Last edited March 19, 2020 3:52 pm

Rolls

Havoc Hounds knowledge check

2 Success, 1 Advantage, 3 Failure, 1 Threat

Total: 1 Failure

Mar 19, 2020 6:18 pm
OOC:
And, Max? Want to roll? It's new to you, as well. Red can provide a second boost.
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