Kenneth glowers and says, "Aye, we're probably worse than proper cops... I dinnae think we'll promise anything until we hear your tale, lad."
Marty shrugs; "Well nowt's admissible in court then. But I'll spill, cause I know you'll get us off." he glances at the others.
"You were duped by things that aren't.... well, human. They are beyond most people's ability to resist, especially when they're ignorant about 'em. Tell us, and you'll save a lot of other people from misery and worse. Help like that goes a long way in my book. I... uh... I believe in second chances, personally. I can't speak for everyone here. But for me..." Sal trails off with a slight grimace, then pulls a strand of dark wooden beads from around her wrist. A small silver cross dangles from it, glinting in the harsh fluorescent light of the cold room. "...forgiveness is real."
She quickly wraps the rosary around her wrist again. Her cheeks flush rosy at the admission and her dark eyes dart around the room, avoiding everyone else's. Then she scowls and fixes Marty with a glare. "Of course, I also believe in vengeance. 'Vengeance is mine,' saith the Lord -- but I can be his instrument."
[smaller]"Don't you mean tool?" he mumbles.
He furrows his Neanderthal brow; "Ain't human? What? They looked a bit shifty, but not human???" there's no conviction to his words. "But you know what they say about lawyers not being human." he jokes.
The atmosphere deepens getting more oppressive, finally the danger settles on Marty's shoulders; "Lawyer lass told us she'd get us out, contact my boys and ensure things were sorted. - they were her exact words." Laura sucks on a breath.
"Anyway, got this job from a toff. Lord Larry, or summat, don't got his name too much... but his deep piercing eyes." Marty shudders; "Well, he had us pick up a package from Holland. It were just meant to be a milk run, t' big package were tomorrow. Meeting that Molly by the docks in Whitby; that she'd take us out to sea."
He continues; "Package you grabbed me with, well, that I was going to take down to this Lab in Hull. On the Docklands estate, near Queens Dock."
Going in alone would have been tricky, it seemed like it might not have been just the quick and sloppy manufacture of amphetamines, or other narcotics.
Danny glances at the others.
"That, might actually be not entirely worthless." He murmurs with a raised eyebrow.
Tangris mulls this over. He hates knowing that he might have had a chance to stop this nonsense before it started and failed to take it.
"I know that factory at Queens Dock. I know a guy who worked there. Didn't seem to be much, but maybe I was wrong."
Kenneth mutters, "I wonder what the lab would think ay the package now." He looks over to Danny to see if the wheels are spinning there, too, then says, "Obviously, ye ken that we'll need tae ken everything ye do about tomorrow's delivery...including your plans tae get it."
"Soooo... what next? And how do we keep this guy safe?" Sal jerks her head at Marty, setting her short curls bouncing.
"Easy, I can go to ground." Marty grunts, the speed of his retort shows obvious enthusiasm. "Especially with me lads."
"I'll just bet you can." Danny smirks.
"You have details on the pickup? Or did 'Molly' have all the brains as well as as*,... er buns?" Danny quickly changes his word choice with a sideways glance at Kenneth.
Marty smiles briefly; "Grand looking lass that." before getting back to business. "The toff just told us that we were meant to meet this lawyer lass at the harbour. She was gonna direct us out to sea - there we'd transfer the 'cargo'. No idea what it were gonna be."
"Of course, I heard her on mobbie - she had just got into country, was waiting on summat else for a big meeting." he says conspiratorially; "Sounded like her boss."
Laura looks to Marty, "You are telling us the truth? And who is the 'toff', he the drug lord? Bringing in all this stuff?"
The gruff man shakes his head. "This is new... not that I do much transport of junk. But seemed like a new dealer coming into town."
Danny rubs his chin thoughtfully. "You might be right there Mr Marty. I'm willing to trust your feelings on that, seeing as how your the local expert on that sort of thing." He says with only a hint of a smirk.
"If you don't know the out-to-sea location, how about when? When were you supposed to meet her at the docks to head out? Give us what details you do have please."
Danny cannot help but give a worried glance to the others. A 'new dealer' moving in, combined with what little they did know, just can NOT be good news.
"I was meant to meet her at the dockside pub in Whitby, around kicking out time, that's 11 to you Yanks." he says with better humour; "She was meant to guide us to somewhere, using GPS. There's only a couple of ports on the coast and fewer people who know how to get stuff in.... although I'm sure a local could try to get it in." he muses.
"Sounds like we should have gotten Molly to talk."
Sal shakes her head. "So, what next? Heading out to sea would be shooting in the dark."
"True. But FOLLOWING Molly, and/or asking a couple of 'locals' about likely approaches narrows down the shooting gallery considerably. Especially a couple of 'locals' I know of."
"I bet it would be tough to follow Molly. We're pretty distinctive and she's seen all of us - unfortunately. If there's info you can get from locals, the sooner the better. We've no idea if they have more of the junk prepared and ready to ship, or if this interception will delay them."
"Whitby's an hours drive east, Hull is a bit more and to the South east. Molly will probably be staying in town somewhere." Laura furnishes the group with some intel, before sidling upto Kenneth; "Not really the way I wanted to be introduced to your family, but better than if they were in the cells I suppose." she softly jokes, touching his elbow in a sub-consciously nurturing way.
Kenneth snorts a gentle laugh, and gives Laura's hand a squeeze, "Just wait. Her visit isnae oe'er yet, ye ken."
Kenneth takes a deep breath and says, "We dinnae need tae follow Molly. I can use the Flame tae find her... though nae when she's on the water -- the saltwater will ground out the magics."
"Um, not to get too 'New World' on you old school guys, but can't the police just track her cell phone or something? I mean they do it all the time on the alphabet cop shows." Danny says with an endearing cross between smug and uncertain.
"And, if worse comes to worse, we don't really NEED to find her on the water. Just when she gets back to land. After all, smuggling isn't officially illegal until you actually get the stuff your smuggling across the border, right?" He adds, smirking just a little.
"Or we could get satellite intel and call in an air strike," Sal mutters tartly, "IF we had any of that technology. In the meantime, well... the dealer was supposed to be here in town? I might be able to find out who it is." Sal stares steadily at the floor, voice low and nearly unintelligible. Her hands are clawed, digging into her folded arms, apparently barely holding herself still.
Tangris just kind of stares as the others talk magic and airstrikes and technology. "Why don't we just go there and look at it? I mean, I definitely prefer the eyes on the ground thing."
"At what? The pub in Whitby? I'm game, but get the horse/barn door feeling about that plan, my friend."
"Or the contact, the Toff here?" Laura wonders, then looks pointedly at Marty; "We might be able to get more info about the pub there? Though if the meeting isn't for 20 hours or so, we have some prep-time."
Kenneth laughs at Sal's joke and says to Danny, "I think ye watch tae much telly, ye ken."
He quickly sobers and says, "Well, we can go tae see what's what, if people want, but I fear Sal may hae the right ay it..." He winks and adds, "...much as it pains me tae speak against spending time in a pub."
He looks to his companions, then holds up his hand, "But there be problems. One," he lifts his index finger, "they they already ken that Marty willnae be making their wee boat party. And tae," he says, bringing up another finger, "they ken who we be and that we're looking intae their little plans, thanks tae my beloved sister."
He shrugs and says, "They'll likely go ahead, but I dinnae think that they'll be following the same script as they shared with dear ol' Marty here."
He cocks his head and turns his attention to the crook handcuffed to the table and asks, "Unless ye heard anything about a Plan B?"
"Well if the woman were wanting to bring someone in on the QT...." Marty thinks; "There really ain't too many options. It isn't like you can fly anyone in, we don't have private many airstrips. So boats your best choice, though finding the right person is tricky." he taps a tarnished tooth with a fingernail.
"Scarborough, is too heavily trafficked by the Life-guard and police. Whitby is good if you keep to the north near Robin Hoods Bay. There's a couple of lads down in Hull but that'd take Lawyer lass an hour or 3 out of her way. She didn't seem like the most patient?"
At Laura's gaze, he adds; "Not sure what she's bringing in, more important than that package. How's about I introduce you to a sea-captain in Whitby, he's t' number two bloke there."
Laura looks tartly at him; "You'd say anything to say your hide?" to which he nods.
The detective looks to the others; "So I can get a cell-phone trace on Molly. And/ or we can look for her tonight in the dock areas? Or we could follow the drugs? Or follow the money?"
"Anyone got other contacts?" she wonders, knowing she has a few of her own.
"I say all of the above. If she's hanging around others like our friend here," Danny nods at Ken, "Chances are the cell trace won't last. But any info is good. And yeah, there are a couple of people I can ask. They don't hang around Marty's circles, but still might know a thing or two."
Danny covers a small but distinct yawn.
"Sorry," He smirks sheepishly.
"But they probably won't appreciate being woke up in the middle of the night, so I'll do that in the morning."
Kenneth winks and smiles, "Nae... You're my contact in these sort ay things, ye bonnie lass."
He offers, "Mayhap we should wait a spot and then try the trace. I can call her tae have a wee family chat -- especially tae offer praise since she dinnae seem tae be on the spit. Should guarantee that we actually get her rather than whatever lorry she may have dumped a phone on."
He turns to Danny, "I think there's no rest for the wicked, lad. Your contacts may wait 'til morning, but we have some work tae do.... and, as I recall, I still hae a painting tae examine a'fore sunrise washes everything away."
"If you are going back to the gallery, we should go with you. Too many strange things are going on tonight to be running around alone." The strange woman in white at the gallery comes to Sal's mind, the earlier part of the evening almost forgotten in the excitement at the police station.
"No rest for the wicked. Right."
"Can those of us who are merely 'devilishly amusing' at least get a nap?" He whines melodramatically with big cow eyes.
Sal sighs and rolls her eyes. "Turn into a pumpkin after midnight, do ya? You'd have never made it in the.... Girl Scouts..." she finishes lamely, with a grin.
Kenneth laughs, "I shudder tae think of the carnage of our Danny at a girl scout camp. Still, it seems the lad is convinced he needs all his beauty sleep."
He then nods more seriously, "Aye, someone tae keep an eye out while I'm working would be quite useful. Thanks, Sal."
"I'm sure Tangris will come with us. He won't need beauty sleep and he's always loved art. Says it's delicious." Sal looks around for her pack, then realizes she hadn't brought a lot of supplies to the gallery opening. She pats her pockets, feeling the spare clip and keys, as well as the serious knife strapped to her thigh, and nods. "Guess I'm ready to go when you are, Kenneth. Whaddya say, Tangris? Ready to return to the scene of the party?"
"Wait, what? Where's the girls? If you'd have mentioned that first, I'd be wide awake!" Danny leers comically.
Then he sobers up. A little.
"Yeah, 'Evil never sleeps' and all that rot. I just wish they'd take a bloody day off once in a blue moon. I know she agrees!" Danny says, jabbing a thumb at Laura with a wink.
"Right, so, back to the scene of the other party? Some supplies for Ken I'll bet, and a couple of Red Bulls for me, and we're set!" He grins.
"You're staying up for this? What about your beauty sleep?"
Danny waves his hands dismissively.
"If I don't skip my beauty rest every once in a while, how are the others ever gonna compete with me?"
Sal shakes her head ruefully and chuckles. "Someday I will learn not to tee those up for you."
"Aw, but without friends like you to set them up for me, how will the world ever gain the benefit of my rapier wit? Not to mention the wisdom of my @$$." He asks with a grin and a waggle of his eyebrows.
Danny gives Sal a slight bow and offers her his elbow to escort her from the room.
Laura chuckles softly, before turning to Marty; "Now, I know you, your friends, where you hide. I can find you... don't make me track you down."
She turns to the others, moving slightly away from Marty's earshot. "I was thinking of letting him off on his own parole." she grimaces slightly at this infraction of routine; "We don't have the man-power to hide him and it could be too dangerous. Instead I was going to tell him to meet us at a different pub in Whitby tonight." her words challenge you to deny her part.
"Whatever you think best, Laura. Marty couldn't handle himself very well against a goat, even with a shotgun, and he doesn't seem ambitious enough to start a new life. I trust your judgement. If he's stupid enough to try something, we'll get him back." Sal gives the policewoman a respectful nod.
She turns to exit, seeing the arm Danny has offered. "Oh, no no no. You can save that stuff for all your girlfriends. I don't want to wake up one morning filleted by a flock of angry women." She passes him by, grinning, as she heads to the station's front exit.
Danny places a hand on his chest in mock shock.
"But,... But,... My harem is legendary! (In my own mind anyway) And it's perfectly safe. No flocking of angry women. You only have to worry about the two really,..."
Danny follows Sal towards the door, 'pleading' with her to reconsider, unable to contain his grin at the looks they gather from the police they pass in the hall.
Marty harrumph's a bit at Sal's goat taunt, however he doesn't want to push his luck. There's a dark glance towards Tangris, the daring look of a defeated man who's important pride has been tarnished.
Laura nods to Kenneth; "Keep safe, I'll see you tomorrow." her words a warm with a hint of promise.
The drive back to the gallery was less fraught and hasty than their exit. Soon they arrive before the glazed façade, filled with subtle pieces of art it beckons as the lights are still on. Coming through the ajar door is soft classical music, a relaxing atmosphere after the commotion of earlier.
Looking inside there are only a couple of patrons examining various pictures and Dora standing near a desk, a satisfied look upon her face. You notice many of the items around the gallery have orange stickers, indicating they have been purchased. The area where the ruined picture was is cordoned off with a curtain.
Dora rises and nods to the group as they enter.
Kenneth smiles and says, "So long as I amnae saving the world, ye ken." His smile fades somewhat as he leaves the building, and he's quite pleased to get back on his bike and let the thrill of the ride wash over him and the dark thoughts about his sister... leaving him in much better spirits when he arrives at the Gallery.
He smiles at Dora, "Sorry about that, we were detained a wee bit longer than expected. Seems things went well here?" he asks, partially dreading the answer to the question.
"Aw, did we miss the ordourves'?" Danny says with mock dismay as they enter.
Tangris parks the tiny car and looks around for the tall Norseman to give him back his keys and apologize for the goaty smell...
Dora replies to Danny in a matronly manner; "I put some aside for you boys, you're growing fellows." she smiles warmly. "Everything went smashing, thanks for everything you did. The patrons thought it was an installation. Andy and Bunny took Marvin home, he was very shaken up."
Out of the corner of his eye, Tangris can see the blonde Nordic man with his wife a head shorter than him. They appear to be enjoying the art as much as each others company.
Sal looks around for the woman in white, skulking in the door and trying to be small and unobtrusive.
There's no sign of the woman in white. With the practised eye of a military recruit looking out for a drill sergeant, Sal is certain the 'lady' is not anywhere to be found.