More Dead Men Stomping

[OGRE MAGE]

The Garage

Noting that the other men running away with Leroy are already long gone, the bartender walks briskly in the opposite direction of the impromptu kidnapping. “Them goons is Bonato’s men. If yer friend is mixed up with that crew, he is in BIG trouble.”

René urges the group to the car, certain he could find the old garage again if they can’t locate the Packard on the streets. A few minutes later, the investigators are zipping west through traffic into the outskirts of Harlem.

In the daylight, this ominous area looks far less frightening, though it is a lonely spot, buried among weed-filled vacant lots and tumbled down buildings. Thurston spots the driveway and is glad to see that there are no armed guards standing around near the street.

The building is squarish in size, with a back alley adjacent to another building, with open areas along both sides. There are a pair of large swinging garage doors in front, one of them is currently hanging wide open. In front of that door sits the now empty grey Packard, with no goons or zombies anywhere to be seen.

Shutting off the engine for a covert glance around reveals the muffled sound of talking coming from inside, beyond the open door.

Actions?

[Grognardsw]

As a NY resident, has Thurston heard of the Bonatos? If necessary: Heard of Bonatos? [1d100]=78

"Tell me more about the Bonatos," Thurston asks the bartender.

"This could be very dangerous," says Thurston during the ride. "Why are we risking our lives for this?"

"Who wants to eavedrop near the door?"

[Rex]

Charlie

"We should check it out, but be careful."

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

"Sure, I'll go. Snoopin' around is just investigative reporting'."

Pushing his luck and not sure what to look out for beyond aggressive behaviour, he tries to sneak closer to the open door and listen in from the side. He scribbles what he hears in some notebook paper.

Calvin Beauregard 'Listen skill check vs 40/20/8 [1d100]=38 Spot vs 25% [1d100]=90 Luck vs 65% [1d100]=67

[Ashuaps]

Rene Vezina

"Be careful", Rene tells Calvin, "I'll loop round the back to see if there's an open window or some other way I take a peek in"

Listen check (60/30/12) [1d100]=61 Spot hidden check (60/30/12) [1d100]=21 Stealth check (40/20/8) [1d100]=34 Luck check (55) [1d100]=18

[OGRE MAGE]

The Garage

Thurston and Calvin are no organized crime aficionados, nor do they normally run with such crowds, but most every local around has at least heard of The Boss, Big Archie Bonato and his crime family. And the bartender was right, the Bonato gang is known for enacting great violence and bloodshed upon any who cross them. Thurston questions the logic of putting their lives on the line for an alcoholic musician they’ve just met……..right before suggesting some eaves be dropped.

Calvin doesn’t mind taking a closer look, it’s what the weaselly man does after all. Seeing nobody guarding the open door into the garage, he peeks around the corner to find 2 large drab colored delivery trucks with crates and barrels scattered about the remainder of the floor. He spots an office style door in a wall behind the trucks and realizes that is where the voices are coming from.

After warning his accomplice to be careful, René slips around the back of the building, into a quiet, rundown alley. He hears muffled voices coming from inside and sees a row of windows covered with tattered and faded brown butchers paper. Moving a little closer, the voices become clearer and through a torn corner of paper covering the second window the Canadian can peer inside. He spots the profile of a man in a grey suit (2) who looks unmistakably similar to the person who shot Pete Manusco.

Charles and Thurston keep a lookout in front, feeling both relieved and frightened that they are in such a vacant part of the city.

Actions?

750FD4EB-7321-4B6E-B4F5-AC4D013E9D3A.jpeg (98.32 KiB) Viewed 628 times

Try to ignore numbers 1-5. I will use the rolls you've already posted for the start of this scene, I just wanted to pause here in case anyone else wants to reposition or discuss tactics or run away or whatever.

[Rex]

All good.

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

Takes out his pocket knife. He goes to the Packard and stabs or undoes the pressure valves on the drivers front and rear side tyres. He has an expectation we might be discovered sooner or later, so having some pre-emptive delaying tactics might be prudent.

[Grognardsw]

Thurston backs the car up a block and keeps an ear and eye open.

“Maybe a beat officer will come by,” Thurston says to Rene.

“We should have gotten that trumpet while we had the chance. Those runes - it’s a a voodoo horn.”

[Ashuaps]

Rene stays hidden and ready.

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry about the extended delay.

The Garage

René stays hidden, peeking through the dirty back windows to watch two burly men holding Leroy down in a wooden chair in a small office area while a few others look on.

Charlie watches as Calvin returns from the empty garage to slash the tires on the Packard. The pair sneak back inside to listen to the conversation in the office while Thurston returns to the car in the street to move it further away. They can hear the magician talking to himself as he leaves the area completely.

From beyond the cracked door and covered windows, a muffled conversation can be detected. René sees a large Italian man with rolled up shirt sleeves puffing on a giant Havana cigar start the proceedings. “So, this is the guy, eh? Tell me again what you saw, Joey.”

Joey Larson recounts everything that happened at the funeral, mostly referring to the part where the dead Freddy Fayette got up and walked again, even though the man was clearly dead.

“I don’t want no screw-ups this time Joey, like you did with Manusco.”

“Nope! No way boss!”

“That was a dumb piece of work, Joey. All you had to do was rough the guy up a bit, but now I gotta get a new accountant. All because of you and your over itchy trigger finger.”

Archie Bonato thinks and hums to himself for a moment before making up his mind what to do about the situation, a nod of his head to one of the goons brings him back around.

“Okay Joey. I’ll bite on what you’re telling me. But just to be sure……..I want you to shoot yourself.”

The room goes silent and Joey tenses up, clearly not willing to comply.

“What’s the matter, Joey? If this here horn man can bring you back to life like you say he can, then what’s the problem? Shoot yourself!”

When Larson ignores the command a second time, Archie tells a fifth man to do the deed, who quickly pulls out a pistol. Joey reaches into his coat for his long barreled .45 but is shot twice in the chest before he can even get his large gun out.

The shooter stands over Joey’s bleeding corpse before looking up. “He’s dead, boss.” René sees a sinister smile cross the face of the big boss as he turns his attention to the completely horrified Leroy Turner next.

This scene is a bit long, so I wanted to pause here in case anyone wanted to intervene or reposition their investigators. Thurston at the car would have heard none of this conversation, though all of you definitely heard the gunshots.

Actions?

If you are good with letting the action continue without interfering, just say that in your posts. Thanks!

[Rex]

Charles

Charlie tenses up. He then looks around for anything he can use as a weapon if it comes to that.

Good to continue.

[Grognardsw]

Thurston hears two gun shots. "My god they've been killed!" he thinks.

He hopes to see his friends running for the car, but no one comes. They're probably being held at gunpoint.

The distraught stage magician looks around to see if there are any passersby or a pay phone. If yes, he implores them to call the police or does so himself. If not, Thurston creeps forward to the building to look in a window.

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

René is shocked at the events but stay hidden, hoping to help Leroy at the most appropriate moment.

[Rex]

Charile

Once Charlie finds a weapon or if he can't he will try and remain hidden as well.

[Bluetongue]

Calvin Beauregard

After hearing gunshots, his thoughts would be they shot Leroy.

Having slashed the tires he will make his way back quickly to the others outside the yard.

"Bang. I think they plugged the poor guy.

What do we do now?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Sorry Joey

Thurston hears the gunshots. When none of his friends rush from the building, he fears the worst. Seeing no other people or any phone, he slowly slinks back towards the garage where he finally sees Calvin exit again with a grim look on his face, guessing that Leroy has just been shot, despite the conversation he just overheard suggesting otherwise.

Charles grabs a crowbar from a workbench and stays put inside the garage to see what happens next, adjusting his position to see through the cracked door better. René remains in place at the back of the building as well, listening and peering into the window all alone outside.

The situation inside continues to darken:

Archie Bonato looks over the dead man’s corpse on the floor. “See Joey! I always told you that big gun was no good for a quick draw. Stupid bastard.”

After mumbling about how, if this works out, they could bring all the old gang back, the Boss turns his attention to the extremely frazzled Leroy, still slumped in his chair. “Okay Jazzman. Time to blow!” he waves his gun at Leroy who gulps hard before slowly bringing his horn to his lips to begin a rendition of High Society.

Seconds pass and nothing happens until Joey’s clearly dead body stats to twitch and spasm to the music. The corpse rises slowly, causing everyone in the room to cross themselves and swear, including Leroy, but the Boss demands that he continue playing.

Can I get a Sanity check from Charles and René for witnessing this event please? If you fail, give me a D6 roll as well. Thanks!

Actions?

[Rex]

Charles

Sanity (50) [1d100]=33

Charles remains hidden, trying to learn as much as he can.

[Grognardsw]

"Calvin, what happened?" whispers Thurston to the reporter who comes outside.

Thurston hears Leroy's trumpet play.

[Ashuaps]

René Vézina

Sanity check vs SAN 54 [1d100]=51
Phew...

Rene look around for a way to intervene, like maybe putting fire to the building?