"What Lies Beneath" - Fatespinner's nWoD PbP

Game Master Fatespinner

Gabriel had no idea of what was happening at the museum that night, but if more items and power signs were to be read, he was more than eager to investigate. Since he didn't want to socialize, the burden of trying to be nice and socially-efficient dissipated immediately and he talked rather fast, unlike other times. He would've been proud of himself, had he noticed, for he just paused once. But his mind was elsewhere already.

"I think it'd be a waste of time to go back for even more books than if we try to go inside before they barr us from entering or watching what they've got. Things seem... erh... suspicious? Yeah, suspicious enough as they are. I say we go inside, jot down anything we don't recognize and then investigate thoroughly. What do you say, Aido?"

Hank leads the group to a 24-hour Cajun dive on NE 1st Ave, less than a mile from the museum. Despite the fact that it was now after midnight, a half dozen black men occupied the tables outside the restaurant's pick-up window. They eyed the approaching group wearily, but seemed to back off a bit and mind their own business once Anu came into view, the bloodstains on his clothing still clearly visible. Inside, a wizened old black woman peered out of the window and slid it open to greet them.

"How's ya'll doin' tonight?" the woman rasped cordially. Then, upon noticing Anu's appearance, her eyes widened a bit. "Hoo-wee, boy! You look like you done wrassled wit a gator out in da bayou! What kin Mama Otis getchya'll this evenin'?"

The door to the inside of the establishment was clearly locked. It was an streetside-only kind of place. There were still several unoccupied tables available, especially with the loiterers having given the group a bit of shoulder room now. Even at this hour, cars routinely passed by every minute or so and foot traffic was not entirely absent.

Nodding to Jon,

"Food sounds really good right now. Why don't we get something and talk about what little I know over it?"

Anu grins somewhat at the KAIG comment and shrugs...

"Well...I didn't have a gun and he was obviously the bad-guy, just firing indiscriminately down the street like that when his buddies were blasting the Museum to pieces...I figured he needed to be taken down. And while it didn't really go the way I had planned, it worked out. Next time I might try a gun though...err...is there going to be a next time?"

"We taking your car Jon? Oh, I guess I still haven't introduced myself...its Anuskasha Whitefeather. Just call me Anu though."

Noticing the attention to Anu,"Mama Otis, can we get some napkins and some water to help out this fine young gentleman?"Gestures at Anu. "I fear he needs a tad bit of help and some of your good food to fill his belly, if you would be so kind?"

Speaks low to Hank and Anu."Let's grab some food and I have a place where we can crash for a bit and talk."

Anu nods to Jon.

"Why don't we go ahead and get some food to go then? A nice big order of steak and potatoes sounds incredible, if you've got it." he says as he smiles charmingly at Mama Otis.

Takes a moment to check the menu then steps up to order after Anu and Jon. "I'd like an order of your hot jambalaya and a double order of fried okra."

"Why don't we go ahead and get some food to go then? A nice big order of steak and potatoes sounds incredible, if you've got it." he says as he smiles charmingly at Mama Otis.

"Oh I sorry, boy, Mama ain't got no steaks. You like fish? I gots some dee-licious blackened fish filets I do." She proceeds to prepare the meal requested by Hank while she waits for a reply.

Smiling, "Sure, Mama. Blackened fish sounds right nice."

Anu gets cleaned up a bit while he waits for his order.

"Oh I sorry, boy, Mama ain't got no steaks. You like fish? I g]ots some dee-licious blackened fish filets I do." She proceeds to prepare the meal requested by Hank while she waits for a reply.

"That'll be just fine, Mama, two big plates please."

Turns to Anu,"So what can you tell me about the woman and the guy that was hosting that deal at the museum? Why would anyone want to steal those antiques?"

A few moments later, Mama places the styrofoam meal boxes out on the window shelf and takes the payment from them. Steam rolls out of the sides of the boxes as the group finds a table to sit around. The food is of good quality, though the fish is a bit tough. Hank's jambalaya is quite spicy.

Converse as normal. Nothing unusual is going to happen here. Assume that the other diners keep their distance from you and mind their own business.

Garabina escorts Gabriel and Aido inside the museum, ensuring that they look, and don't touch anything. Not that contaminating this crime scene would be that big a problem, but still..

"So, how do you guys know about all this? You archaeologists, or historians or something? Is that why you were all here, for this.. whatever was happening in here before this whole mess?"

As he eats, Anu begins to explain what he saw to Jon and Hank.

"That woman, Dahlia, she was out front in the crowd just before the Museum opened. When Julio Ferrano showed up, he greeted her and 'asked' that she not buy out the entire show. He must of known she had an interest in the exhibit and he seemed like he knew her personally."

He pauses to take a long drink.

"Once the show opened and everyone went in, I decided, what the hell. I went in to check out the auction. Apparently is was some kind of artifacts dredged up from the sea from a Spanish-exploration era civilization in this region. I actually sat next to her and introduced myself. She kinda explained things to me. I made a crack about the stuff being Atlantean...small talk."

Anu continues while digging into the delicious fish.

"After a bit...she seemed to remember something and got up to use the 'restroom'. I figured there was no way I was getting into her pants then so I got up to leave and saw her rushing out the front entrance. When I came out I lost her as she disappeared around the corner. Thats when I saw the van with those gunmen in it. The rest you know from there."

Anu continues a bit more hesitantly...

"Well...most of it."

He frowns, as though thinking hard to remember.

"When I saw her come out with that tote-bag...I just had a feeling that she must've had something to do with the gunmen...like they were a distraction so that she could snatch what she wanted. Honestly, I'm not even sure just how I kept up with her, once she kicked her shoes off and started running barefoot...she was like a freaking gazelle. I finally thought I had her by the construction site...but she disappeared...again!
The bag, still full was sitting right there by the dumpster though. I figured she ditched it so she could high-tail it out of there. Guess I was wrong. I opened the bag to make sure I wasn't chasing some poor woman...and sure enough, it was full of museum pieces, even an ornamental dagger on top of the pile. Then...I guess..she must've hit me on the neck...err..head? I'm not sure...then I was down for the count."

Anu sighs heavily. Then his head darting up with an eyebrow quirked he says,

"Oh..one odd thing. She grinned back at me a few times when I chased her...like she was having fun or something. She could've cried out that I was a mugger or something like that too and anybody on the street would've jumped me right away....weird. That...and she blew me a kiss, right before the lights went out."

"You ask me though...either she arranged the whole thing with the gunmen and stuff to steal things.....OR...she and Ferrano are in it together for the insurance money. Course, if Ferrano died in the shooting then thats not very likely."

Anu seems to be thinking hard...trying to find the angle.

Listens to Anu's story intently,"Sounds like she is a professional."
Grabs his cell and makes a call to Adamant Security, identifies himself and asks for whatever information they have on file for Julio Ferrano, and any mention of a woman named Dahlia that may have a relationship with Ferrano, waits for an answer and clicks the cell shut.
"Hank, did anyone you saw look like they may work for Cortez? Did the attack match their M.O.?"

Jon:

Hank digs into his jambalaya and okra while listening to Anu and then answers Jon's question. "Could be. I was only involved with the transport of drugs and money side of his operation. I do know the one house of his I've been inside has museum quality stuff. I recall him having an Aztec ceremonial knife."

Resumes eating.

Anu smirks while glancing at Hank...

"I guess there are some perks for being the idiot who brought a knife into a gunfight. Don't worry about me guys...I tend to operate somewhat less that legally from time to time."

Somewhat shocked,"Anu, honestly we are the good guys here. Hank and I are working on a different project together. As for information regarding Mr. Ferrano and Dahlia, Ferrano is a well off club owner here in Miami and has some serious marks on his record but no convictions, the only Dahlia we were able to find is a small time divorce lawyer. I am failing to see why Ferrano would be interested in the museum pieces unless it was for someone else."

"Hehe. Club owner, yeah, that's original."

Anu shrugs.

"Yeah I know, I was just saying, maybe to collect insurance and to keep the goods too. People like that definitely figure greed as the top motivator in just about anything they do."

He frowns a moment...

"You know...maybe it would be a good idea to get more information on just what that exhibit was? What do you guys think? That'd probably be the best way to figure out why someone would want to steal it in such a spectacular fashion."

Glancing over at Jon,

"Hey, I'm not saying I'm not a good guy too, but you guys are obviously willing to bend the law a bit, thats all I'm saying. And if thats what it takes to bring down the bad guys, then how is that wrong? Personally, I'm more interested in making sure they get whats coming to them than they get whats legal."

It occurs to you collectively that... Ferrano is a multi-millionaire. The auction items were up for sale. If Ferrano wanted them, he would've bought them himself. And it's very unlikely that someone with that much wealth would commit insurance fraud and risk his livelyhood.

Hank lifts his drink like giving a toast. "Here's to natural justice." Waits a moment to see if anyone else raises their drink too.

Anu toasts Hank back.

Raises his drink to Hank's toast."To Justice."

"So anyone have any thoughts on where to go? Get Anu some clean clothes and check the museum again? How are you feeling now, Anu?"

Meanwhile, back at the museum......

The museum is riddled with bulletholes. The coroner has arrived on the scene and has begun to cart away the burned and perforated corpses of the victims, investigating each one in time. The displays in the front area of the museum are completely ruined, shattered bits of Native American pottery scattered on the ground, priceless paintings scorched or torn. The crowning horror, however, is the auditorium. The stands up on the stage have been completely burned to a crisp, along with many of the audience in attendance. The gunfire seems less prevalent here, with only a few scattered shots evident in the walls and the bodies of the victims.

Further investigation locates what appears to be the epicenter of the explosion in this room, a scorch ring located near the edge of the stage. The hardwood stage floor is crisped and blackened at it's edges but the center of the ring is unblemished. The explosives experts seem to be baffled, Garabina and the others hearing them discuss all manner of possibilities.

A few relics of the auction still remain, though many are scorched or warped by the heat. A single dagger, however, remains in pristine condition, hidden by the heat and destruction within a metal case behind the podium. It is intricately carved with various sigils and pictographs, forged from a solid, single piece of what appears to be silver. This item does not match the styles and compositions of any of the other auction pieces, and thus is highly perplexing...

"Hmm, you guys want to check that out?" Garabina indicates the rather peculiar knife to Gabriel and Aido, before heading over to the explosive experts.

"You guys needing a hand? I could tell you what I saw and heard if you need it."

"You guys needing a hand? I could tell you what I saw and heard if you need it."

One of the explosives experts, a young caucasian man, nodded emphatically. "Yeah... I have no clue what the f#~& happened here. I mean... it looks like the explosion originated here at the edge of the stage... but there's no powder burns, no shrapnel, no signs of an explosive device at all. Plus, there's a 5-foot radius at the center of the blast that's completely untouched. As if the explosive had been sitting up on a table or shielded from the floor somehow. If you've got any explaination at all, I'm all ears lady."

In response to the policewoman, Aidrian shrugs. "Nah, I just live across the street. I know Gabe here a little and it looked like he was about to get himself shot." Aidrian laughs, "If I'd known he had such a killer right hook, I might have finished my cereal."

Once inside the museum, he turns around slowly taking it in. "Holy f!@@! What in the hell? Who bombs an auction and everyone in it?"

Aidrian walks over to the undamaged dagger and leans in to get a better look. "So about the amulet... I thought I recognized it from somewhere. Turns out the symbol is Egytpian, around 9th century, but it pops up here and there throughout history as far back as the Minoan civilization."

He scans over the warped and damaged auction items and continues, "Supposed to be for protection from spirits- bind em in place, bar passage, that kind of thing. They find em mostly around burial sites, sometimes around the estates of the rich and powerful in those eras. I can see a gunman wanting a little hoodoo on his side, but that is pretty obscure for your random hired gun."

"Could work. I mean, you telling us what you saw. We'd try to see what's behind all of this. The... uh... context could help. And... I... Well... I just like this stuff. He, on the other hand" Gabriel almost rudely points towards Aido, "is serious about this. Sells books, if you're interested."

Gabriel tries (and fails) to have a fluid conversation with Garabina and Adrian. He looks at what's left of the place, searching for more pieces of evident -or even hinted- signs, expecting to find more Egyptian symbols.

Aido and Gabriel:

Gabriel:

"Right.." She squats down next to them before continuing. "Well, when I was running towards the place, the burst of flame that came out seemed just normal, you know? Yellow flame coloured. Looked hard to put out, or at least, the crispy guy outside found it pretty hard. He was dropping and rolling, but it didn't seem to have any effect."

She pauses a moment before continuing. "What's even odder though is the fact I didn't hear an explosion. I thought one of the thugs had a flamethrower or something.. but well, obviously one of them hasn't turned up."

"Huh. This one blade is pretty detailed, but I don't know enough to say much offhand. Old though. Much older the the Egyptian stuff. Maybe ancient Sumeria? I'd have to do a little research to take a decent guess at what the detailing is about."

The explosive expert furrows his brow and scratches his stubbled chin before turning to his assistant. "Go check the maintainence closet and see if there are any flammables missing. Maybe someone dumped a bunch of... hell, I dunno, paint thinner or something out and lit it up. That wouldn't explain these burn markings though... but it would explain why our crispy friend outside couldn't put the flames out if he was covered in fuel."

He taps his temple, thinking intently as the assistant scurries off. "The fact that you heard no explosion doesn't surprise me. If there was an explosion, the change in air pressure would've blown out all the lightbulbs and glass in the room, but that's not the case. This looks like a wash of flame... but it had to be super hot to do this kind of damage. Like... if someone had put a little tiny sun in the middle of the room, y'know?" the man smirks slightly, shaking his head. "The kind of damage inflicted on the furniture and these bodies suggests temperatures in excess of three thousand degrees farenheit. That kind of s@+% just doesn't happen without a major fuel source."

Gabriel's attention snaps again at the hint of a new possibility and his speech becomes fluid, just like the last time he wasn't concentrating on being friendly.

"Aido, I think it's made of silver. If that is the case, this dagger was made for different rites and was ornamented enough to be used in special ocassions. You know, purity, moonlight, all those things silver represented in various cultures. Basically, a sacrifical dagger. But why here, among all these things that have nothing to do with it? And how come the Egyptian sign was carried around here? Is there something we should know about, Ms. Policewoman?"

"Shouldn't this whole building be burning down right now if there was a flame of three thousand degrees here? I mean, I saw the flames come out the building too." She stops a moment, looking rather quizzical about the whole thing.

"For that matter, if there was a fire at three thousand degrees, I should have felt something going into the room, right? I only got into the place like ten, twenty seconds after."

Anu takes a moment to think about it...then nods to Jon.

"Yeah, I think I'm okay for now...I'll need to crash here in an hour or two and don't expect me to chase anybody...but yeah. We should probably go back and see what happened. Er...once I'm not bloodstained. Heh...guess the guy who got his blood all over me can foot the bill for some new digs."

He grins wickedly at that thought.

"Shouldn't this whole building be burning down right now if there was a flame of three thousand degrees here? I mean, I saw the flames come out the building too." She stops a moment, looking rather quizzical about the whole thing.

"For that matter, if there was a fire at three thousand degrees, I should have felt something going into the room, right? I only got into the place like ten, twenty seconds after."

"Well, that's the odd thing," the expert says, scratching his chin again. "It was clearly not a lingering fire. Just a flash, like a backdraft that washed through the whole room. Nothing was exposed long enough to actually catch fire, but all the fluids and moisture in the air and... in the victims... immediately boiled away. It's pretty f+%%ed up."

After he finishes eating, Anu steps outside for a smoke. Waiting for Jon and Hank to finish so we can go back.

Once Jon's done, Anu gets in the car to go shopping for some new clothes to replace those that are spattered in blood.

Assume Jon is finished eating and you can go where you like. A simple shopping trip can be glazed over. Assume you find a Wal-Mart, spend about 15-20 minutes shopping, and are (relatively) cleaned up. You could probably still use a bath, but that's hardly a major concern. Assume you wash the blood off your face and hands in a bathroom somewhere... probably at a gas station where no one sees you.

Finishes his food and drink and dumps the trash. "Anu, why don't you and Jon go get you some new clothes. There's a Wal-mart a few blocks that direction." points to the nearest Wal-mart "I'm gonna head back to the museum to see if I can check things out."

"So, let me get this right? A flame, three thousand degrees hot, flashed through this building, quick enough to evaporate all the fluids in the victims and melting everything, save the two people I saw in here fighting, and the knife and the amulet outside.. and did all that so quick that nothing actually caught fire. Just what on earth can do that, outside of bloody Star Trek?"

She scratches the back of her neck, highly puzzled by the whole thing. "Good luck sorting this out guys. Let me know if I can help you with anything else." She turns and heads back to Gabriel and Aido.

"So, as far as I can tell, this was an auction for these antiques and the like. Anything special about this knife, other then.. you know, it not being melted?"

Well, it's got a good amount of ancient symbols. Adrian said they--" Gabriel pauses for a moment, instead of stuttering, tries to get all the words beforehand "predate the Egyptian one we saw over there. And the knife, if I'm not mistaken, was used for sacrificial purposes."

The emphasis in "was" aims towards a doubt, after all that had just happened, who could tell if..?

Once he is freshly cleaned up and in fresh clothes, Anu heads back out to Jon's car so they can return to the Museum.

"Ready to head over there Jon? I'm doing pretty good at this point. Some rest later should do me wonders. Oh...and didn't you say you had a spare gun...? I really don't think this whole thing is over with. I got a really weird vibe when I first saw Ferrano...and another eerie feeling when that ghostly fire blasted out of the museum."

Anu thoughts begin turning inward...thinking over again everything that happened. The way the spirits seemed to be speaking to him again..the woman, Dahlia, biting his neck like she was some kind of...of..vampire. There is definitely something strange going on here.

"HA!" Anu barks out once they are in the car. "Ahem...sorry about that...tell me something Jon. Are you a spiritual man?"

While Anu may say it was nothing, Jon can't hardly miss Anu's hand being wrapped so tightly around the leather pouch he wears on his necklace that his knuckles are turning white.

Watches Anu intently,"Spiritual? hmmm... I know there are things that can't be explained easily by conventional means. I try to stick to things I can see, touch, and smell." Notices Anu's hand clutched around the pendant."I am going to assume you are a spiritual man, Anu? Are you picking up some kind of voodoo vibe here?"

Starts the car, and heads back to the museum.

Hank finally arrives back at the Museum and notices it's been roped off since their departure. "Officer Vasquez! It's Hank Monroe! I just thought I'd stop back by and see if I can be of any use."

According to The ST Guy, it's 12:40 AM when I get back, and Jon and Anu will be by shortly.

"Nothing voodoo or anything like that...this is more the sort of thing where you have a feeling you know is right...and then you see if proved right. Maybe you'd just call it instinct....but I have a really bad feeling about what happened there. I'm also not willing to rule out the possibility of supernatural creatures and spirits in our world...there so much variation in nature it wouldn't surprise me to see some that science hasn't quantified."