Small's Paradise

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

René listen to Thurston intentions of giving the number plate to the police and responds "I have no plan to explain to the New York police why I was drinking alcohol in a bar sitting with an nervous Italian man that got shot in the head by a contract killer and rather than being dead, proceeded to walk out of the bar with half his head missing!"

Turning to Charles, he continues, "Ah Charlie! Nice to meet you. Maybe you could give that number plate to the police and forget to mention us. Once things calm down, I could come back here to meet you to try to understand what happened but right now, I think I need to move on."

"Should we share a cab?" he suggest to Thurston as he looks for a taxi or even a car that could be borrowed

If René finds a taxi or an unattended car and one a very short time has passed, he'll try to go towards the direction the Packard went to see if he could catch up with it. If her can't find transport, he'll walk away from the immediate scene to an area where he can discretely observe from afar without being noticed by the authorities

[OGRE MAGE]

As the sound of distant sirens grow louder, Thurston wisely searches for a plate number but sees that the owner of the grey Packard must have conveniently removed the license plate recently. The rat faced man in the back seat peers through the window as the car races off, offering another good look at his face, while searching for anyone trying to follow. For a split second, a glint from something metallic can be seen in his hands before the car speeds away.

Looking around for a taxi, Rene sees a few of them, also pulling away rapidly, packed with other wealthy folks who don't want to be around once the cops arrive. Charlie introduces himself, asking the blood covered men if thy saw the shooter. An agreement is made to attempt to understand what has happened here, but Rene seems unwilling to stand around until the police show up.

The trio see Calvin and his camera quickly move back into the side alley towards the rear exit again, where he finds a few more members of the band leaving the building. The band leader is there, speaking with Charlie's security manager at the back door. Calvin spots the young trumpet player he saw earlier leaning up against a wall just inside the back door, his trumpet case in hand.

Charles gets a shout from his boss. "Charlie! Get back over here, man! And bring your friends with you! We need to sort out what the hell happened here!"

I will take a Spot Hidden check from Calvin (and anyone else who moves to the back door). If you want to try stealing a car instead, I will take a Hard Success Luck roll from anyone searching for one with keys in it.

Actions?

[Rex]

Charlie

"Come on over here, we can try and figure out what happened."

Charlie moves over to speak with his boss, looking around for any clues as he does.

Spot Hidden (60) [1d100]=57

[Grognardsw]

Thurston considers Rene's words. The stage magician is a law-abiding man, but there's not much value he can add for the police. And they'll likely tie him up here all night. The sight of the walking dead was fascinating, and he'd like to find out how that happened, but the heat in the kitchen is too high right now.

"All right, let's go," he says to Rene as they walk away looking for a taxi.

If the Canadian businessman tries to steal a car, Thurston says: "I'm not getting into a stolen car."

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

René looks for a taxi with Thurston hoping to get away from the scene but with the obvious competition and lack of available hire cars, he decides, just in case, to also keep an eye if someone would have left a car idling and unattended to look a the commotion. Luck roll to find car [1d100]=1

Rather surprised but not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, René exclaims aloud "Ah, there's my car! quickly jumps in the driver seat confidently as if it was his own and calls Thurston "Jump in! Let's see if we can catch up with that Packard and see where it goes!"

I really didn't believe that would happen I intended for Rene to have a quick look for a car, give up and go and join Calvin and Charles. I am also convinced it is a probably a bad idea and René would be much safer to go back to the alleyway but I guess René seems to be more impulsive than Ashuaps. So that's the way it is... René will try to catch up with the Packard. I'll let Grognardsw or Ogre Mage decide if this is obviously stolen or if Thurston can be confused enough by the lucky find and the acting to join in

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

Walks to the back alley trying to get the interest of the trumpeter.

Calvin Beauregard Spots Hidden vs 25% [1d100]=15

He checks and snoops around as a hack does, peering through any door left ajar. He motions to the musician,

"Hey pal. Over here. Don't be shy. That gig you played sure brought the house down. Got the ladies dancing real nice, music to move the soul.", he wants to entice him with some sugary encouragement and then get him to pose for a last photo before his reel and film runs out.

I will slip him a press card with my details on.

[Grognardsw]

Thurston nods and gets in the car, perhaps distracted by the chaotic street scene, or memory of Mancuso, or maybe Rene caught a lucky break.

[OGRE MAGE]

Rene looks into the first car he sees, finding it empty with the key still stuck in the ignition. Thurston tells the Canadian that he isn't about to get into a stolen car. Rene jumps in anyway, loudly claiming that it is his own car, and urging the others to do the same. Thurston changes his mind on the spot and hops into the car as well, just as Rene hits the gas pedal. The pair of well-to-do car thieves rushes up the street after the long gone grey Packard, hoping they can catch another break during their late night car chase through the streets of Harlem. I will take a Drive Auto roll and another Luck roll from Rene. I would also take a Spot Hidden roll from Thurston. (and any actions/rolls either of you want to make while you attempt to locate the fleeing shooter.)

As the pair speeds off, more cops arrive on the scene, causing even more of the looky-loo bystanders to rush into back alleys and side streets to avoid any trouble. Charles and Calvin rush around to the rear exit again, watching the band members fleeing the building as well. The trumpet player Calvin has his eye on exits the doorway with a large pack of jazzmen, looking towards the reporter when he calls out to him specifically. Charles and Calvin both see the man accidentally drop what looks like a business card from his pocket when he reaches for the reporters pass, but none of the band members stop to pose for pictures, and Charles is pretty sure he would do the same if he didn't work here at the club, knowing full well what the cops will do with any black men they see fleeing. The young musician speaks as they rush through the back alley. "They's a short cut between some buildings just up here that'll get us back to the main drag and beyond. Ya'll be safe from the cops if ya leaves right away!"

Charles' manager has a different plan. "Charlie! Where did your friends go? The ones who were splattered in blood? They must have saw what happened. Did either of you?"

[Grognardsw]

Spot Hidden [1d100]=42 No

“Mancuso must have been tangled up with the mob,” Thurston says as René drives the car. “Maybe it’s better you didn’t go into business with him.”

Thurston looks out the window but doesn’t see much. The thought of the dead Mancuso walking is hard to get out of his head.

“So, the night’s still young. Know any other clubs in the neighborhood?” he asks, looking to get his mind off the horror.

[Rex]

Charles

"They took off. I saw the hit man but lost him in the chaos the erupted."

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

Picks up the business card, putting it in his jacket pocket..

"Better stick together and synchronise our stories 'just in case'. Heavy handed cops might want to push a fella around if they thought he was involved in criminal affairs. Wise monkey, speak no evil." he says to Charles.

Then he goes to the manager. "So, what kind of joint you running here? Care to give a statement for the Tribune? Regular customer was he, that Mr Manusco? Business partner of the Mayor? Seemed quite pally. Want to comment on their meetings at your parlour. Could put that in the Herald. How about front page in the Telegraph?"

He grabs a pencil and scribble book, hustling the man for titbits, interrupting him for comments and answers.

Calvin Beauregard 'Fast talk' skill check vs 60/30/12 [1d100]=68

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

Luck roll [1d100]=92
Drive auto vs 40/20/10 [1d100]=18

René leaves the area trying not to attract attention and drive in the direction the the Packard left towards. Once out of the immediate area, he reaches in his pocket for the piece of paper handed over to him by Manusco earlier and pass it to Thurston "Would you have a look at this? It might tell us something useful."

[OGRE MAGE]

Rene and Thurston hop into the empty vehicle, both of them now implicated in a crime themselves. Rene is glad to find that he is familiar with the brand, a Hudson Super Six, similar to the model he himself owns, though a few years newer.

fillautoangle0.jpg (45.13 KiB) Viewed 268 times

As the pair of auto thieves speeds away from the oncoming police cars, heading west up 135th street, they aren't able to spot the grey Packard initially. They gaze down each side street as they race through town, headed towards an industrial area on the outskirts of Harlem. They don't see the car ahead of them anymore, but they don't see it turn off the street they are currently on either.

When a still shaken Thurston mentions that they may as well drive their stolen automobile to a different illegal gin joint, Rene tries to keep his eye on the road. He reaches in his pocket for the note he took from the dead Manusco, handing it over for his accomplice to view.

F6A35036-5933-4C15-BF3C-26C7A959B234.jpeg (32.21 KiB) Viewed 267 times

At the rear exit of Small's Paradise, Calvin picks up the business card the trumpet man dropped, but he doesn't look at it, quickly sliding it into his pocket instead. He then tells Charles that they should stick together in case any cops try to push either of them around. The security man answers his manager as best he can, watching as the last few members of the band quickly exit before the police arrive. "You actually saw the shooter, Charlie? That should help! Do you have any idea who it was?"

As soon as Calvin starts accosting the security manager for a story in his usual aggressive manner, the man's mood changes immediately. "You're a reporter? Charlie! Who the hell is this guy? And why.......wait......did you say Manusco? How do you know the victims name? And what makes you think he was involved with the Mayor? Speak up now! Both of you! Tell me everything you saw in there. We only have a few minutes before half the flatfeet in the city are tearing through this place!"

Actions?

[Ashuaps]

Rene listens to Thurston reading the note while continuing to drive carefully looking for the Packard

“Hmm mildly concerning letter but Manusco seemed to be extremely scared by it. What do you think of it? And what did you say the signature was?”

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

"Listen Mr. I don't know you. I ain't babbling I witnessed jackshit only for some noodle head to come pistol whip my head and then have tootsie play some dirge in his trumpet and get feet a'popping along again.


You tell me what you know about the mayor and I'll make sure you get front page news for the right reasons."

He counters the manager's demands with some if his own."

[Rex]

Charlie

Charlie tells him what he saw, right up to where they are at now.

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

"Manusco was saying something that sounded like Joey. That could be the author of this letter", Rene adds "I think we are approaching an Italian part of the city which would fit. Let's go to the end of this street then loop back a bit by the 134th checking we can see anything and then I'll drop you at your hotel and go get some fresh clothes."

[Grognardsw]

Thurston studies and reads the note.

“What do you think the signer’s letter is? It looks like a backward ‘c.’ “

“We’ll need to get in touch with Mancuso’s business associates and family to see if he had any enemies or new acquaintances. Perhaps someone named Joey. Someone wanted him dead for a reason.”

“Look at me, playing Sherlock Holmes! Should we just hand this over to the police?”

Thurston looks out the window. He decides to tell Rene his experience from a few weeks ago.

“Seeing the zombie Mancuso is the second time recently I experienced something not of this world.
Two weeks ago I felt what I can barely describe as a surge in the mystic parallel, an uncanny awareness of magick. It passed and did not return. I consulted many on this experience but got no answers.”

[OGRE MAGE]

As they drive further from the busy Harlem streets into the industrial area beyond, Thurston and Rene continue looking out for the grey Packard. The stage magician suggests looking deeper into Manusco's business dealings before telling his friend that this whole investigation might be better off left for the police to handle. Then he tells a surprising tale of an experience he felt recently which involved an intense elevation in the mystic powers surrounding him. An experience he had never felt before and still has trouble explaining. Together the pair wonders if the incident they just witnessed had something to do with that same sensation.

Still seeing nothing on any of the side streets as they pass, Rene is just about to turn his stolen car around when he spots a man walking down a long driveway that leads back to an old mechanics shop. As he slowly passes that driveway, he sees several men in suits standing around outside the distant building. The shadowy figure of the man in the driveway stops and stares at the vehicle as it passes, continuing further into the mostly unoccupied industrial area beyond.


The security manager listens carefully to the tale told by Charles, holding his palm up to Calvin as he talks. "Well, that is some story Charlie. This fat man stood up and walked around after his head was blown off? Well, that's a new one on me, how about the rest of you guys?"

Hearing the reporter out, the manager finally shakes his head and responds. "I dont know you either! But I am willing to bet my ol' granny that the Mayor didn't have anything to do with this. Sounds more like black magic or voodoo to me!!! How does a dead man stand up and start walking again? There has to be some logical explanation for all of this. And if this resurrection really did have something to do with the music that was playing, I think we better have a talk with Mr. Johnson, the band leader."

As more and more wailing sirens arrive at the front of the building, the group hears a male shout ring out from that direction. "RUDE! Where's my car?"

Actions?

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

"Sure the band leader and that new trumpeter. Where did they go? Staying locally are they?"

He figured the band may not want to become embroiled in police investigations, especially if it tarnishes their reputation. So offers the manager that he could question them 'on his behalf' and Charles, could act as the manager's agent too, seeing as he might be known to them from his security work.