Eva continues up the stairs and seeing the body of the fallen assailant in the doorwar to the back room, enters to evaluate the scene.
Assuming she hears / sees / feels the growing fire in the room beyond the door double (which are open, i think), Eva will cast Create Water again.
John moves into the room and looks into the door in the room.
"Turn the water on, maybe it'll slow the fire!" Dafydd shouts to Khaled. Then he turns back to the man.
He needs healing. You have it in you. the voice in his head says.
"Yes..." Dafydd says, looking over the man's wounds.
Glancing around, he stabs the sword in between two floorboards
Rude
You've been in worse spots." he murmurs, eyes flicking momentarily to the sword before he reaches for one of the Doctor's worse injuries.
Well now here was a surprise, this Welshman was a true Druid.
With some surprise she says
"I did not think zere was any True Druids left."
She checked the old man as his wounds healed, pulling the bullet out with her knife before the wound secaled by the magic.
"Arr, good he will live, and no one will suspect he haz been shoot."
She dropped the bullet into her pocket, while giving Dafydd a pleased look.
Khaled moves through the bathroom to the far door. Pulling it open, he finds a well-appointed primary bedchamber. In addition to a large armoire, there are several book shelves, a large desk, and a pair of chairs by the fireplace. Every piece of furniture has been knocked over and rummaged through, and numerous pieces of art and artefacts have been torn from the wall or shelves and cast around. On the desk to your right, you see several pieces of paper that match the letterhead upon which you received the letter from Professor Finch. Amidst the blank papers, it appears there is one that is partially written on.
At the front of the building John sweeps through the other bedchamber to the far door. Checking the handle, it is unlocked and opens into a washroom. The room shows little of the defilement that has occurred in the rest of the home.
Eva calls into the ethereal realms and unleashes a flood of water above the large fire spreading across the bookshelves. It slows the flames, but does not put it out.
Billie sees the truck turn left out of sight and head down the alley…
Helena sees the sword-bearing man whisper and run his fingers across the gunshot after she had plucked the bullet from it, and is astonished to see the wound glow slightly and begin to mend. The unconscious Professor Finch coughs up some blood, and begins to breathe a little more, though still raspy and broken. He remains unconscious.
Across the open courtyard, you do notice a light on in the first floor of a house that was previously dark when you arrived…
Khaled (46): -14, -4 [@ 28]
Assailant #1 (?): -10, -20 = unc
Assailant #2 (?): -5 (outside)
Assailant #3 (?): -11, -10, -8 = unc
Assailant #4 (?): (outside)
Assailant #5 (?): -6, -2, -8, -6 = unc
Seeing that Dafydd had it all in hand with the old man. Helana heads back into the house. She sees the assailant on the floor, going over to him, she checks for life. Then she moves on to the second floor, and the two felled assailants there. Each time checking for life.
John looks around frantically She's not here! He then calls out "Khaled! Have you seen a women here or any evidence of one?" John then begins checking the closets, desks, bathroom for any sign a woman was staying here.
Bedroom, a writing desk... no woman! Khaled shouts back.
He briefly examines the papers, particularly the partially written-on one.
He also runs his fingers gently along the top sheet, wondering if there would be any impressions of what was written.
Dafydd continues trying to heal the professor's wounds, albeit with less success this time.
Druid? Did she think I'm a...strange. But then again, that's hardly the strangest thing about tonight.
Fearing the fire, if left unattended, will tear through this whole neighborhood, Eva studies the structure to see where might make the sense to target.
She once again reaches out for the pale ethereal lines that dance at the edge of her vision, the whispers of forgotten souls growing in her ears. Weaving them into a pattern, she speaks the words she still does not understand and directs it toward the ceiling, above the flames.
”Emerick,
As I write this emissive I prepare to break bread with those potential allies who could help us in this dangerous time. I fear we are far beyond our depths, and the unknown players involved pose a greater threat than we ever imagined. I found my office and work room at the University broken into and looted earlier today. Luckily I had not kept it there, but I am concerned now they'll make a plan us soon. I fear I need to get out of the city to a safer sanctuary, so that they cannot get their hands on -”
The writing stops abruptly, as though the process of writing it was interrupted.
Khaled (46): -14, -4 [@ 28]
Assailant #1 (?): -10, -20 = unc
Assailant #2 (?): -5 (outside)
Assailant #3 (?): -11, -10, -8 = unc
Assailant #4 (?): (outside)
Assailant #5 (?): -6, -2, -8, -6 = unc
John shouts out "She was here! Has anyone seen a woman's body or any women in the house?" He runs down the stairs and seeing the man missing from the couch but on the front stairs moves out their. He asks the man tending him "How is he? Will he survive? I am hoping that is the professor that wrote me."
Good she had a live one, her hands move and she said the words.
Forcing her mind into his dying one, she may just have time to get the answer she seeks.
Pocketing the half-note, Khaled looks around the room for indications of there having been a feminine presence.
Then he makes his way to the room where he faced of with the enemy. There were guns to be collected.
"He remains unconscious, but I believe he will live, yes. I am doing what I can for him, though I am not so skilled in these arts as others." Dafydd says, and reaches down to mend another of the man's wounds.
As John asks the question and Dafydd responds, a subtle warm glow ebbs from Dafydd's fingers into the wounds of the unconscious man. A knife gash visibly mends itself closed in the instant following, and the mans coughs more vigorously. As he does, he spits out some blood from his mouth, then slowly raises his head, opens one eye, and softly, light-heartedly mutters, "Most strange... I... always thought... pain, would cease... upon death?"
Reaching in to a dying man's mind is dangerous, or at least so you'd read. Sifting through the pain and anguish, brushing away the fleeting memories of lost moments, you find a small whisper of a response, 'Make it quick and get what you can, then get back to the truck and Jakob will drive you back to the warehouse".
Shaking off the fog surrounding the failing mind, Helena realizes the Asian woman she had seen before has entered the hallway, returning from the back of the house. She looks shaken up and confused, and is likely even more bewildered to see you kneeling over the dying man.
Khaled pockets the paper then hurries down the stairs to the office where he had the previous conflict. As he steps over the fallen man to pick up one of the discarded pistols, he notices a large amount of smoke in the office and the room beyond. Glancing over, he vaguely sees a darkly dressed woman standing amidst the smoke, holding a large, half-charred book in her hands.
Is it... No. Not the accented woman from the entrance. Jacqueline?
He puts the first gun in his belt, at the small of his back. Then moves to pick up the second.
Excuse me, Miss... We really should get out of here. Are you alright?
Jacqueline?
Helena takes her hand off the new dead man, and shakes it as if stung.
She see the Asian woman looking. Little stressed by the events.
She rages then mans pickets for info on the were house .
”ac! No saving zis one he is dead. Zo! Time for us all to go, the Welsh mam will have de professor back on mit feet. Zo come I think I know where za bad guys are going with what they took.”
If she finds nothing on him she will stitch the noses of the other two.
The crack of gunfire, the roar and heat of the flames, smoke filling her eyes and lungs, and the smell of fresh blood. It was all too much. Eva was lost for some moments, trying to find her way back to the present time.
Slowly, she started to come aligned. Smoke still lingered, but was mixed with steam from all the water she dropped on the fire. She was holding something large, heavy- a book, no, a tome. The binding and cover were a worn brown leather, and the tops of the beaches had been singed.
She was about to open the book and explore its contents, when she realized the ring in her ears was fading and there was a voice speaking. Speaking. Turning around. She saw the man in the other room, and stepped towards the door.
She is a petite woman of a refined background, with alabaster skin and dark hair. She is dressed in a more traditional, Victorian style than is typical for the current day, but could match a traditional upbringing. Her formerly composed appearance has become rather disheveled in the last few moments affair. Shaking her head softly and brushing away the look of confusion on her face, Eva steps further forward into the office. She looks down at the dead body to her left and then back at Khaled.
” thank you, yes, I think I'm alright - The evening has been chaotic and unexpected. Who was it you asked for? Jacqueline? I am sorry, I am not she. I am Viscountess Haldane - I had unexpected business with the master of this residence.
And you would be?”
Khaled placed the second gun in the waistband at the small of his back, his coat not helping matters.
Unexpected, there's a word. She seemed off. Smoke inhalation?
And a little familiar but, perhaps it was just the dirt on her face and messed up hair. That was a lifetime ago, maybe three.
No time for nostalgia. Blah-blah countess Hal-blah-dane... seriously? He'd never heard the name.
Lady Haldane? Would you terribly mind if I were to escort you outside for some fresh air?
Where are my manners? Cal. My friends call me... Cal. He offers to carry the book and holds out his arm, should she choose to take it
As he passes the fallen man and bloody hatchet, he regrets the death. But winces in some discomfort from his wound. No hard feelings.
Excuse me, Lady Haldane.
John! No Jacqueline! But, coming down with... a young lady! All clear?!
If the man had a gun or shells, Helena took them as well. She stood, sending over 6+ tall, Her bones where well proportioned, Swiss or Austrian stock by the looks of her. That slender Nordic body shape. Long Blond hair, blue/grey eyes, fair skin. She ware a tailored female suit, and good boots, A mackintosh coat and us gagster like hat. She looked down at the small Asian woman.
"The others who came are going outzide, we go too, ya!"
It was not so much a question as a statement. She turned and went to rejoin the others outside. Hoping the small woman followed her.
For some reason, perhaps she is caught up in the moment, Billie hurries after the lorry to look down the street where it made the left turn. She walks back to the house slowly, wishing she had been lucky enough to park nearby so she could give pursuit. Then she wonders but why?
With the shift in her thinking to the more sensible, Billie begins to mull over the situation. She is now convinced the people who came to the house (and she sort of supposes she counts among them) have conquered it. From this it would follow that the people who were already in the house were the ones who sent her the letter.
Unfortunately she won't be able to ask any questions of anyone who could give a first-hand answer. But maybe the others who remain also received letters, or know something about who sent them.
Coming in through the back door, Billie now has time to realize what a shambles the house is in. She notices the very large, perhaps nordic or germanic woman looming over the body of the dead man in the hallway. She appears to be rifling through his pockets. She thinks it best not to ask about it, but she does follow her outside.
Outside the front of the house, everyone else seems disturbingly undisturbed by the gunfight, house fire, dead people, and so forth. There's also a new man, who is rather older actually. Though he seems more or less fine, he's wearing an astonishing amount of blood on his clothes.
Billie is no longer considering a quick exit. She has to know what is going on. If she doesn't get any answers it might drive her mad. She tries a different tack this time since her prior attempts to get anything reasonable sounding out of anyone have failed.
"Did all of you get a letter requesting you come here to this address?"
As an afterthought she adds "It might be a good idea to move away from here. I have a hard time believing the coppers haven'y been notified of the disturbance."
To those with an ear for for such things, Billie's english is excellent but clearly not her first language. Her grammar and vocabulary are spot on. Her accent is perfectly middle of the road oxbridge. But, her accent is just a bit too perfectly middle of the road. There's is no trace whatsoever of any regionalism, very much a tell that she has learned english from a number of different teachers over time. There's also a little wobble in her pronunciation here and there. For example, when Billie said "requesting" the R at the beginning carried a whiff of an L with it. Also her V in the words "move" and "believing" could almost fall into a W without great care on her part. Billie has probably been trained well by an elocution coach or two in her past.
Eva looks at the clearly foreign man for a few moments. "Cal? Well Cal, yes, I do believe seeking fresh air away from this might be wise."
Seeing both his outstretched hand toward the book and the arm offered to escort her, Eva nods, gently placing the surprisingly heavy tome into Khaled's hand, and then takes his arm. As she does he notices she wears black silk gloves that go up under the sleeves of her overcoat. Her touch is gentle and delicate, but as her hand wraps around Khaled's wrist, the grasp is surprisingly firm.
She seems unphased by the dead body in the doorway, and lightly steps over and past him. Similarly, she offers barely a glance at the fallen assailant in the lower hallway or the body of some other man inside the first floor sitting room as they exit the building.
Seeing Billie exiting out the stairs in front of her, she smiles, "Ah, miss, your hands, have they found their intended recipient? Perhaps it is him, down there?" She gestures toward the wounded old man on the ground with a small crowd gathered around him.
For a brief moment Dafydd had been alone, tending to the wounds of the dying old man. Just as the grace granted to him flowed another time and the man opened his eyes, others began to gather at the front door. Within a few moments, there are now six strange souls gathered around the wounded man - the man whom both Helena and Khaled recognize to be Professor Alistair Finch.
At John’s question about Jacqueline and Khaled’s later response from the door, Finch looks amongst the group. ”You mean Madame La Rochefoucauld - oh my, was she not inside? Please tell me that she did not befall the fate that good Reginald did? Oh, heaven’s please.” Professor Finch becomes rather emotional and begins to sob and cry, which then causes him to wince in pain from the many wounds still existing on his body.
Several more homes on the court that were previously dark have at least one lit window.
The whole affair took perhaps a minute, and yet, given the gunfire, it is strange that you have not yet heard a constable’s bell or whistle.
Khaled's concern is the Professor, even as his eyes take in the others.
But, the young man's eyes pick up something, just as his ears don't.
Looks like some more lit windows, we're attracting some onlookers.
And yet... given the gunshots, one would think the authorities would be en route. Why no sirens?
He bends to help the professor up.
Who's Emerick? Do we have transportation... a place to go?
John gasps and then says "Madame La Rochefoucauld was not inside. I did not see any women other than these with us here. Did they take her? I've got a car around the corner and some heavier weaponry. We don't know where they went though." John sighs and seems 'diminished' as it dawns on him he last lost his chance at Jacqueline.
Billie willfully ignores the dark-haired and gloved woman talking about her hands. She has no idea what she means or what she could possibly say in return.
Billie pipes up at the mention of the getaway.
"Well, maybe we know something. The lorry that they drove away in had Geldersen & Co painted on the side."
Her frustration beginning to grow again, she adds "and who are they anyway? For that matter who is Madame La Rochefoucauld?"
John looks to Billie and says "She was an old friend of mine that I thought was lost in the war. I never saw her again after going into the line no matter how hard I tried to find her."
Helena, looked at the windows lighting up, it had been about fast, the events. Her mind clicked into its higher mode. No police as yet good. They may have time. The others would be engaged with the now the Professor Finch. They could run for it, but with no police yet...
The tall military looking man was suggesting they run.
Helena looks kneels down and placing a hand on Professor Finch says in a soft voice,
"Professor Finch it is Helena, we have come as asked, we will look for Madame La Rochefoucauld but we have to get you into some clean dry cloths and safe."
Then standing once more, the tall Germanic woman says to the group as a hole.
"I am Helena Conradina Von Der and I know ze Professor well. May I offer you all another suggestion. We stay here, we don't leave the Professor's home open with dead in it for he police to find. Ze attackers have fed yes, the police have not yet come yet yes. Professor Finch iz now not in danger, zo!."
She look around once more but keeps talking.
"I suggest We move him to a safe room inzide his home. We get him into clean cloths and a nice hot cup of tea. and We clean up, bodies and all. If the police come I well keep them outside and zay, we had a small party with zome fireworks, sorry to wake ze locals."
Then she looks back at them all.
"While we do zis, we do a full search for Madame La Rochefoucauld and for clues. Do not ask me how, but I know the attackers are going to a warehouse, and now I know its a Geldersen & Co painted one, zo a look at ze phone book for us unt address."
Then she smiles and takes a step back to the front door, stopping she looks back, taking out a small Cigarillo she lights it with a silver lighter, and takes a pull before letting the smoke out, then asks.
"Zo! we go back inside yes? and out of this bloody English rain"
As she talks in her that Germanic direct way of hers, Helena, seems unfazed by all this. As if she has been in situations if not like this similar to this before. A strong woman not early shocked by death and mayhem.
The big German woman really creeps Billie out. She is also extremely fazed by the situation. She is also still without any explanation whatsoever.
"So, I will tell you what I certainly will not be doing. I will not be cleaning up a murder scene, including the disposal of corpses of people I do not know, with people whom I do not know, on behalf of a person I do not know."
"With that said, I will bid you all a good evening and good luck. I will be on my way now. Other engagements and such."
Billie walks away heading for her car, but not directly there. She certainly doesn't want anyone present to know she has a car nearby.
Helena watch the small Asian woman leave. she understood her feelings, this was a mess, and self preservation was the oder of the day. Helena was use to others finding her somewhat disconcerting. All her long life this kind of think happened. She knew it was the fay blood in her, others, human others could just tell something was off with her, something supernatural. She the woman's responce was not unraisable.
Helena looked at the others waiting to see what they will choose to do.
Dafydd had ben too busy tending to the professor to take much part in the conversation, and only belatedly introduces himself once the man regains consciousness. "Professor. Dafydd Cadwallon, at your service. A..." he glances about, still not completely sure he can trust everyone in earshot "mutual friend of ours who shares many of your interests sent me. He said you needed assistance with an artifact of some sort? I'm afraid he was too caught up with other business to come himself. You know how engrossed he gets in his writing."
Seeing Billie turn to leave, Eva begins to panic - 'what I saw, what has been foretold, if she leaves, he dies, and all is lost. I must convince her.'
Cautiously, Eva hurries to catch up to Billie as she goes to leave. Stepping in front of her but with as peaceful and non-threatening of a presence as possible. "Please, miss, stay - it seems some of the others were invited here knowingly tonight, while the rest of us, you and I included, were drawn into something we don't rightly understand. I am sorry if my words scared you before, I was not fully myself and can at times not make much sense - I will explain it later, I promise that to you. This may seem like madness, but trust me when I say that a great deal hangs in the balance of tonight's actions - and if that man dies, I fear that a sliver of eternity will fall into the vilest of hands, and untold millions will die. Will you take a chance and offer him your aid?"
Eva seems drastically more rational and within her wits than she did just a few minutes ago. Her words are even, calm, and earnestly sincere.
She wonders how the Welsh man will fall, run or stay.
but then the odd woman "Eve"did she say her name was, slit and run for it as well. Going after the Asian woman. She look back at the big man.
Looking at John she asks.
"You want to run as well?"
John shakes his head, "Oh, I'm not going anywhere. Let's get you back inside Professor. We even have the smoke of the fireworks in the house." He laughs. "Not the first time I've seen death up close and I am not worried about the cops. My lawyers are too good. We should start cleaning at the door and work our way inward. One of them in there was your friend or colleague was he Professor? What should we do with him? They others we will need to dispose of."
Khaled helps the professor up and into John's care. Maybe we just call the authorities, report a break-in. We arrived just in time to scatter the thieves. We start hiding bodies and cleaning up... and we look guilty.
The truth shall set you free.
Giving the third man and the tall woman a look, he moves towards the fleeing shorter woman and the... Countess he'd just met in the house. He stays silent and out of her immediate space, letting her do her thing as he watches on.
She says
"Vandabar!"
Then turns and reenters the house, takes of her hat, overcoat, jaket and rolls up her shirt arms. The she goes looking for mop, bucket and, scrubbing brush and and soap flakes. Then she gets some old bed sheets and rags, starting the process for cleaning.
'Ak! zer is a few of the bag guys, I will rap them for removal. Ze good guy I will leave for you."
She seems happy to do the cleaning. The one she shot in the neck she says.
"Look at you, zis need not have happen, if only you had taken a good path in life my friend. Now your life is all over ze floor. Come I will get you to some wast land to be found zo your loved ones can zay goodbyez"
Billie is somewhat encouraged by the woman's admission of delusional behavior. It is a good sign for her that she is still able to recognize her own mental imbalance or psychopathy. Psychology isn't her area, but Billie thinks she might respond well to treatment if she received it.
"If you want to explain later, I will give you the chance to do so."
Taking a small notebook from her pocket, Billie writes out the name and location of a tea house not far from her college. She rips the page out, and hands it to the woman.
"Meet me there tomorrow at 3:00 PM sharp."
The woman does have Billie by the Hippocratic Oath at the moment though. Although she doesn't see anyone who seems to be in need of medical assistance, she'll at least take a look.
"Who are you talking about? I don't see anyone who looks like they are on death's door. I'll have a look before I go. That is all though, I will have absolutely nothing further to do with that house or its contents."
As Billie turns to leave and begins to walk away, Khaled and John try to lift the old man to help him inside - upon which he cries out horrifically in pain, and crumbles back to the ground. Despite whatever Dafydd was able to do for him, Professor Finch is still severely wounded.
After a couple moments sobbing in pain on the ground, he speaks feebly, "I think... perhaps... could one of you call for a doctor? I would be most obliged. And yes, I think alerting the constabulary would be most sensible at this time."
Laying still a moment, he composes himself through the pain, "Dafydd, ah yes, Tollers spoke of you before.” He pauses for a moment, looking around the crowd, ”Helena, Khaled, John, and Dafydd, I am truly sorry to have drawn you four into this. As for you two ladies, I do not know who you are, but I thank you for your aid on this night."
The Professor takes several seconds to compose his mind in response to all the questions, ”Jacqueline - Madame La Rochefoucauld, is a colleague of mine. She is a professor of modern languages at University College, which itself is a part of the University of London, where I serve in the Institute of Archaeology. We have worked together on several research projects in the past several years, and she and her assistant took residence with me here perhaps nine months back. To your other question, Reginald, he has been an assistant and houseman to me for the past decade - those bastards butchered him when he tried to stop their entry to my home. ”
The Professor becomes overwhelmed with emotion again, but works to regain his composure. ”As to who would be so bold as to enter my house, slay or kidnap my friends, and beat me to within an inch of my life - I am not quite sure. They no doubt seek that which I found…”
John puts the Professor down gently when he winces in pain. A look of shock comes over his face as the professor describes Jacqueline. He stutters "Jacqueline? A professor? Here in London? That is not the Jacqueline I knew."
Still looking for cleaning stuff, Helena at the sound of the Professors cry rushes outside just in time to hear him start to talk to the others.
Then on naming her and the others she seems happy he is well. She aborts the idea of cleaning up and retirees her coats and hat.
Hearing the Professor cry out in pain, Eva places a hand on Billie's shoulder then points with her other. "Him."
Tucking the card for the Tea House into her waistcoat pocket, "And I will certainly meet you tomorrow if that is what you prefer. But as for wanting nothing to do with tonight's events - if the constabulary arrive and someone who shot a man twice and killed him, even in self-defense, leaves the scene, it might not present well in your favor."
Billie starts toward the man who has fallen, but as she goes she replies to the woman with a hard edge in her voice.
"If you think you'll help your cause by trying to coerce me, you should reconsider. You will find I don't respond well at all. You know where and when to meet me if you have a case to make. If all this is as important as you claim, you will be there and on time."
When Billie gets to the man, she asks the people gathered around him to let her through.
"Make space please, I'm a doctor"
When she has some room to work, Billie checks the man to see what she can do.
Helena keeps to one side, and gives the Doctor room to work. But she was getting a little annoyed at this Doctors attitude. Who was she anyway? sneaking around in the bushes, shooting someone then seemly wanting to run away from the crime, while telling others to as sh bids. Self preservation yes, but she was now acting very oddly. It seemed the professor did not know her, as she was not on his list of invited. So was she part of the attack? Did she shoot her own man to cover her tracks?
Helena now moved around to get a clear view of the prof and slipped her hand under her coat.
If this doctor made a move to harm the Professor she would take action.
But as she sees the woman really seeming to be healing the Professor she relaxes. her hand coming back out from her coat.
Billie kneels down at the professor, opening his shirt. She produces a small leather kit from her side, and pulls out several tools, quickly going to work on the worst of his wounds. She deftly stitches up several deep lacerations, and resets a dislocated shoulder. The professor grunts in pain as she works, but any observer can see she is no back alley sawbones, but rather a master physician.
The moment is passed, and the professor looks to be in considerably better shape. He coughs, and winces briefly, but manages will Billie's help to sit up. "Miss, could I venture a guess that you are a medical student at University College? And if so, I would wager that Jacqueline invited you. Am I right?"
Helena now seeing the professor has treated, fully relaxes. And it seems this young Doctor was known to the professor. Well then it seems that they still have a problem with dead bodies and who made them dead. She has killed one, and this Doctor had accounted for one shot as well. So one of the gents must have killed the other. She still wanted everyone back in the house. And still the police had not arrived. It could be the locals did not want trouble. So no one had called contacted them. But still it was odd.
Eva is quite taken aback by Billie's sudden forceful, awkward response. 'She shot the man through the throat, surely a doctor understands what that does to a person '
As she tries to find the words to reply, she watches in amazement as Billie works calmly and deftly to save the doctor. 'She truly has the hands of a healer. There might yet be hope.'
Kneeling down beside Billie, "Would it be alright to lift him and get him inside now?"