The Haunting Gameplay

Larry bursts through the front door, "Alright you son of a gun, I got a big job for us this time!"

Karabekian looks up from the book he was reading (a treatise on the esoteric practices of certain secret societies in ancien Greece) and slowly fixes Larry with a withering gaze. Apparently, in the intervening months since the events in Gardiner's flat, the man has gotten it into his head to become a private investigator and Karabekian has found himself recruited as some sort of consultant/confidante without his consent. As a result, these unexpected (and frankly, often bothersome and unwanted) visits have become more and more frequent.



To be fair, each new case Larry has brought has at the very least afforded Karabekian some measure of diversion. He has always had an insatiable curiousity (both a blessing and a curse) and perhaps Mister Getz recognized this early on. Karabekian has had a particularly vexing week, specially after the debacle at the University. Perhaps a distraction is exactly what he needs.

Karabekian closes the book and smiles politely. "Good day to you, Mister Getz. What have you gotten us into this time?"

"A man has come to me asking if we'd get to the bottom of why he can't keep renters. Something about odd happenings in the house..." Larry continues passing forward the information and slaps $5 down on the table. "Some up front money... and don't give me that smug look, it makes you look dull witted!

"Smug? I wouldn't dream of it." Karabekian looks down his nose at the money. "Might not this landlord have been better served employing an exterminator?"

Karabekian seems to get over himself and his expression changes. "Odd happenings, did you say?" After what they experienced together three months ago he knows none of those involved would ever use the word 'odd' lightly ever again.

"Shall we fetch our Confederates then?" Karabekian takes the $5 note. "I trust you have more of these to entice them with. I doubt they are afflicted by the same curiosity as you or I." The book dealer then flips the door sign to "Closed" locks up the shop and prepares to head for the boarding house.

I'll give the German a five, but the landlord already takes enough of my money! I'll give him a dollar.

Karabekian chuckles. "I won't tell if you won't." he claps a hat onto his head and picks up a walking cane. The man can clearly walk fine without the stick so clearly it's a mere affectation. "Let's go."

At first there is silence then a harsh voice "Gehen Sie weg! I already told you damn reporters I don't know anything about the Gardiner fellow."

"Guten Tag alten Mann. Why don't you open the door for your housemates and we can have a chat!"

More silence greets you before some shuffling around is heard behind the door. You hear nine different deadbolts unlocking before the door swings slightly open, stopped by a chain lock. Valentin pokes his head through the gap "Then chat." he says grumpily.

"I have a job and could use a solid head like yours on my team. There is some money to be earned, and maybe we can find a new companion for you to boot, I'm offering you 5 times what I'll give anyone not already on board to help out, maybe more if we break the case." Larry holds out the five dollar bill, just out of reach of the closed door's crack.

The door slams shut...The sound of a chain lock can be heard, seconds later, followed by the door swinging open slightly, hiding the right of his body. "And what does this job entail?"

"A man has come to me asking if we'd get to the bottom of why he can't keep renters. Something about odd happenings in the house..." Larry gives him the rest of the details too.

Valentin holds out his left hand "No psychotic people or ungodly rituals?"

After receiving the money, Valentin slams the door again, returning back into his apartment; rustling can be heard behind the door. He opens the door, a minute later, now wearing a duffle bag that hangs off his back.

"Glad to have you onboard. Now let's go talk to the landlord, we need a scapegoat if things go wrong right?" Larry winks at the old German.

As it happens, little Tommy is sitting halfway up the stairs to the upperfloor where he and his dad live, flipping through baseball cards and chewing gum.
"Afternoon Fellers!" he smiles cheerily. None of the horror that happened earlier in the year has touched the boy. He was whisked away to a family friend while the clean up happened and knows nothing of what occurred.