"Let's call the boys and see what shenanigans they've gotten up to... Ooh, no, wait! Before we do that- let's take some pictures of ourselves looking like mauled beach-goers. We can sell the pics to our own paper! You don't have any fake blood on you do you? We're gonna have to start carrying some."
Katja and Carlotta have about three hours game time to fill before the boys will be free, a quick phonecall confirms the police are intensely questioning them.
Diplomacy roll: 19
Diplomacy roll: 19
The police, as a whole, still aren't exactly helpful towards Kenny. One individual however, one of the investigators, Sergeant Wierkisiwitzc does, as he is escorting the two men back out onto the street, confide that they are looking into a possible connection with the cult.
"I looked at that Grip's pamphlet when you guys came in. Some weird stuff they believed. Still, most of the people in that group are locals and people know them. And if they were looking for that sceptre thing, you would think that Grips associates might think to look in the safe. Incidentally, keep that sceptre thing quiet for the moment. Wouldn't want the DA to slap you boys with a charge of interferring with an investigation now would you?"
Katja waves at the deserted beach, "See, Carlotta? This is just a TASTE of the weirdness to come. Last night, Kenny and I were actually on the ghost boat itself - The Bouncing Skipper - and SOMEONE - we didn't see who - leapt from their hiding place and dove into the ocean! And never came back up, as far as we could tell!"
Katja spends the next ten minutes telling Carlotta everything she knows about the case thus far- drunken, sea-chantey-singing hotel guest and all.
When the summary is done, Katja concludes: "I'm not sure what I think. I used to think it was Grip, but now he's dead - or else severely resting - so he's kinda outta the picture. Now I think that maybe there are some nasty mutated sea monsters in the water here. Probably due to illegal dumping, industrial pollution, maybe something even involving the government. The regular sailors found out, and now they're getting offed - by the Feds, or the Mafia, or Enron, or whoever. That, plus all the mutant Free Willys eat anyone dumb enough to go swimming around here."
Sees the [presumably] non-plussed look on Carlotta's face. "All right, as a theory I know it could still use a little work...
"Let's call the boys and see what shenanigans they've gotten up to... Ooh, no, wait! Before we do that- let's take some pictures of ourselves looking like mauled beach-goers. We can sell the pics to our own paper! You don't have any fake blood on you do you? We're gonna have to start carrying some."
Carlotta listens to the whole explanation of everything that has gone on. "Jesus Christ! When I signed on with this paper I never thought that is was going to be this crazy. I thought that i would be flying people around who would see something a little wierd and then just sit around making up a story."
After hearing that Katja and Kenny were on the Bouncing Skipper she says "Wow and to think that last night I was just sitting around packing to come here and listening to Slipknot while at the same time you were on a ghost ship. Was it wierd? Was it freaky and scary?"
Across the ocean water, a bell clangs. Several sail boats can be seen on the horizon.
Downtown, police continue to minutely examine the contents of Grip's bookstore. Those things that are deemed to be clues are bagged, tagged and loaded into the back of a large van to be taken away.
So, Kay what should we do while the boys are tied up with the police. We could start by going and grabbing something to eat. I'm a bit hungry. How 'bout you?
The two girls grab a bite to eat at a local diner near the beach.
The rumor of Grip's murder seems already to have made its way into the local conversation.
As the girls eat, they hear one older woman say, "I always said that it would come to no good. You know they killed chickens out on that beach. Feathers everywhere. What we pay taxes for I don't know."
The sentiment seems widely accepted.
The two girls grab a bite to eat at a local diner near the beach.
The rumor of Grip's murder seems already to have made its way into the local conversation.
As the girls eat, they hear one older woman say, "I always said that it would come to no good. You know they killed chickens out on that beach. Feathers everywhere. What we pay taxes for I don't know."
The sentiment seems widely accepted.
Carlotta turns to Katja. "Chickens on the beach? What the frac? Oh wait" she thinks about all that she has been told "is that about Grip's wierd little beach boy cult?"
As soon as they are done eating,Carlotta pulls out her cell phone and calls Kenny, "Hey guys, its Carlotta. Are you all done with the coppers?"
As Kenny and Harvey arrive at the bar, Kenny's phone rings. It's Carlotta.
Business in the bar looks to be doing really well.
As soon as they are done eating,Carlotta pulls out her cell phone and calls Kenny, "Hey guys, its Carlotta. Are you all done with the coppers?"
"We are at (name of bar) trying to scare up info on the late Mr. Grip. Four of us would probably be twice as effective as two in doing so. I assume you were not murdered by the friendly guys from the bookstore. What happened when you followed them?"
"We stopped to get some food and everyone here is talking about Grip although so far I haven't heard anything other then normal gossip, 'always knew he would come to no good' stuff like that. After we followed the men they went to the docks and and when we went around they had up and vanished. I think I'll try to find out a little bit from the people here and then come over to the bar. I don't know if Katja will come though she looks kinda tired. She mught just stay, ha ve a cup of coffee and take a rest."
If Kenny has nothing else to say, Carlotta hangs up and then listens up to whatever the clientele might be saying.
Carlotta does manage to pick up an interesting tidbit. One of the diners knows of a couple who saw something on the pier the night of the murders but who has yet to talk to the police. It might be a scoop if someone could interview them.
Carlotta manages to get the address of the young lady in question, a girl of about 16 named Emma Whitman.
Katja jolts awake, splashing tepid coffee on her hand and sleeve. "What the frag?"
She looks around, sees the reassuring face of Carlotta, and gets her act together. Three deep breaths. Then:
"Sorry, Carlotta. I guess I've been more triggered by this whole situation then I realized. Well, better a few zz's than a few shotglasses."
Katja gives Carlotta an abbreviated version (7 minutes or less) of her history - because K. figures she needs an ally in her fight for sobriety. God knows this whole Dagon craziness could 'trigger' even...um...someone notoriously sober...like, uh, Carrie Nation? Was that that old-timey chick with the ax? Ms. Temperance?
"...um anyway- so you see what I'm up against. Gotta be good for my daughter and all. Sorry to go AWOL on you like that, C. But I'm here now. Uh...do you think we should pursue the Emma Whitman lead?"
Katja jolts awake, splashing tepid coffee on her hand and sleeve. "What the frag?"
She looks around, sees the reassuring face of Carlotta, and gets her act together. Three deep breaths. Then:
"Sorry, Carlotta. I guess I've been more triggered by this whole situation then I realized. Well, better a few zz's than a few shotglasses."
Katja gives Carlotta an abbreviated version (7 minutes or less) of her history - because K. figures she needs an ally in her fight for sobriety. God knows this whole Dagon craziness could 'trigger' even...um...someone notoriously sober...like, uh, Carrie Nation? Was that that old-timey chick with the ax? Ms. Temperance?
"...um anyway- so you see what I'm up against. Gotta be good for my daughter and all. Sorry to go AWOL on you like that, C. But I'm here now. Uh...do you think we should pursue the Emma Whitman lead?"
"Don't worry about it something wacked out as this would be stressful on anyone." After listening to Katja's story she says "I have known a lot of people like that in my own street days. Most of them didn't have the guts to fix their own screwed-up lives. Sometimes I tried to help them; most of the time by giving them a kick in the ass and picking them up and throwing them back on the wagon when they fell off." After a minute Carlotta, who makes friends easily, says "I won't be afraid to do the exact same for you if you ever need it."
Then coming back to the immediate: "Yes I think that we should immediately follow up on the Emma Whitman lead, stopping only long enough to call Kenny and Harvey, since you know, technically the writers should be doing the interviewing. Also some times I freak people out. Especially older people. Or conservative people."
In response to Carlotta's comments re. falling off the wagon, and subsequent butt kicking:
"Cool! I KNEW I liked you. And uh you know- if there's anything I can ever help you with - even if it's just something simple - don't, uh, hesitate, ok?"
Re. the plan to interview young Ms. Whitman: "Yeah, let's call the boys. But if we have to, we'll get the story ourselves. If the boys are tied up or something."
Carlotta smiles at Katja. "I'm not really one for hesitating. I think I will go ahead and give Kenny a call now." She proceeds to call him and tell him everything she has learned re. Miss Whitman.
"So if you are available, lets meet at [gives address] and talk to this girl."
As Kenny begins to find out where the local gambling is done Harvey decides they should leave the bar and head out to meet the girls.
The address given turns out to be a large brick house in a downtown nieghborhood about seven blocks from the dock. The four walk up the cement path to the white door. A bronze plate besides the door reads, "The Whitmans 1981 Sponge Street"
When the bell is rung, there is no answer for a minute or two. And then footsteps are heard. A young man, probably about seventeen or eighteen years in age, opens the door.
"Hello," he says. He looks a little nervous and tired. "Can I help you?"
As Kenny begins to find out where the local gambling is done Harvey decides they should leave the bar and head out to meet the girls.
The address given turns out to be a large brick house in a downtown nieghborhood about seven blocks from the dock. The four walk up the cement path to the white door. A bronze plate besides the door reads, "The Whitmans 1981 Sponge Street"
When the bell is rung, there is no answer for a minute or two. And then footsteps are heard. A young man, probably about seventeen or eighteen years in age, opens the door.
"Hello," he says. He looks a little nervous and tired. "Can I help you?"
23 for Gather Information.
Lousy 13 for Diplomacy.
The address given turns out to be a large brick house in a downtown nieghborhood about seven blocks from the dock. The four walk up the cement path to the white door. A bronze plate besides the door reads, "The Whitmans 1981 Sponge Street"
When the bell is rung, there is no answer for a minute or two. And then footsteps are heard. A young man, probably about seventeen or eighteen years in age, opens the door.
"Hello," he says. He looks a little nervous and tired. "Can I help you?"
[/ooc]
"Hello, my name is Kenny Eastman and I am a reporter covering the story of the Bouncing Skipper. These are my co-workers: Katja Jay, Carlotta Shelle and Harvey Malgram. I understand that (name of kid)witnessed something yesterday that is related to the story of the missing crew. We just wanted to see if she would care to give her side of what happened. It would be a great help, especially to the families of the missing men who are searching for answers about them."
"
Carlotta puts on a more neutral sweater over her Slipknot shirt and tries to fix a pleasant smile on her face. She also tries to stand behind the more conventional looking members of the group.
The kid looks at Kenny for a moment and seems torn.
"Um, look, I don't know what you heard, but... We umm..."
He looks back over his shoulder.
"I really shouldn't talk to you."
He does not however slam the door and leave.
Carlotta decides to put her two coppers in. "Look we know that it may seem painful or difficult to talk about but if you told us anything you know you would be helping all of those people who have missing family from the Skipper. They deserve to know what happened. Also we can keep your name in full confidentiality and list you as an anonymous source. No one ever has to know that you told us anything, Right guys?" She says to the rest. Then seeming somewhat surprised by her own speech she falls silent and resumes her flanking position behind the rest.
"Look we know that it may seem painful or difficult to talk about but if you told us anything you know you would be helping all of those people who have missing family from the Skipper. They deserve to know what happened.That is straight out of an Afternoon Special about gruesome maritime murders.
"You don't have to use names? You sure? No photographs"
The boy looks back over his shoulder again.
"I'm Wayne. Emma's boyfriend. See the thing is, her parents don't know that we were out that night. She was supposed to be grounded. Truth is, I'm not really supposed to be here right now. We're supposed to be in school but we've both been a little freaked. Know what I mean."
Wayne looks to be a fairly typical, clean cut teen, dressed in jeans and a Pepsi tee-shirt.
"You don't have to use names? You sure? No photographs"
"I'm Wayne. Emma's boyfriend. See the thing is, her parents don't know that we were out that night. She was supposed to be grounded. Truth is, I'm not really supposed to be here right now. We're supposed to be in school but we've both been a little freaked. Know what I mean."
Wayne looks to be a fairly typical, clean cut teen, dressed in jeans and a Pepsi tee-shirt.
"No names and no pictures. We will also not give details that would allow anyone to identify either of you."
"If you just tell us what it was you saw and when and where you saw it we could use that to help the police find out who killed the sailors on the Bouncing Skipper."
"Well we was on the pier that night. Just walking you know. There were just the two ships in dock and we thought it would be pretty nice to get away. But then we heard shouting from the ship. The one that was empty the next morning, you know. We couldn't see on board, all the lights were out, but it sounded like someone fell in the water. There were a lot of splashes."
"We just decided to run. We didn't want to tell anyone because she wasn't suppose to be out. She had a test to study for, you see. And then we ran into him..."
"Well we was on the pier that night. Just walking you know. There were just the two ships in dock and we thought it would be pretty nice to get away. But then we heard shouting from the ship. The one that was empty the next morning, you know. We couldn't see on board, all the lights were out, but it sounded like someone fell in the water. There were a lot of splashes."
"We just decided to run. We didn't want to tell anyone because she wasn't suppose to be out. She had a test to study for, you see. And then we ran into him..."
"Him? Who was it? Was he walking on the dock or somewhere else?"
"Could you understand what the shouting voices said?"
"The ones on the ship," says the boy slowly and quietly, like he is scared to remember it, "They were screaming like they were dying. But then we ran into him. This man... He had a cane with a golden head. I remember the cane, but he looked at us with this strange look. I thought to myself that he seemed to be watching the ship and he was smiling. This huge grin, like he thought it was funny."
"And his face..."
"The ones on the ship," says the boy slowly and quietly, like he is scared to remember it, "They were screaming like they were dying. But then we ran into him. This man... He had a cane with a golden head. I remember the cane, but he looked at us with this strange look. I thought to myself that he seemed to be watching the ship and he was smiling. This huge grin, like he thought it was funny."
"And his face..."
I describe Grip's scepter and ask if the cane looked like it.
"How was this man dressed? Where was he standing?"
"No, it wasn't a sceptre or a club, it was a cane, like what people walk with. And the top of it was gold. The rest of it was white."
"This guy was ugly. A little shorter than me, bald. He had this real big head and wide, staring eyes. Gave me the creeps the way he just stared at me, you know. And that smile."
The young man shivers.
"He was dressed like a seaman. White pants and a navy blue jacket. Almost like what you might see in a movie."
"He was just standing near the buildings near the docks, watching that ship..."
"Does that description fit Grip? I never actually saw him." Carlotta turns back to the kid, "Have you ever been over to the bookstore over [gives address]? 'Cause we think the propreitor of that place might've been involved.
Was that man that you saw ,like, the only other person on the docks? Did he see you? "
"I've been to Mr. Grip's store sure. But he doesn't look a thing like this man. You couldn't confuse him for anyone else. I'd never seen this guy in town before you know?"
"I've been to Mr. Grip's store sure. But he doesn't look a thing like this man. You couldn't confuse him for anyone else. I'd never seen this guy in town before you know?"
"Did you see where he went after watching the ship?"
"Did you see where he went after watching the ship?"
The young man looks at Kenny a moment befuddled and then stammers, "uh, no.. we were running away."
"Did you see where he went after watching the ship?"The young man looks at Kenny a moment befuddled and then stammers, "uh, no.. we were running away."
"Did this man notice the two of you?
"Yeah he noticed us. Stared right at us and smiled this creepy smile, you know. And he just stared. Really creeped me out."
"Yeah he noticed us. Stared right at us and smiled this creepy smile, you know. And he just stared. Really creeped me out."
"Where there any vehicles in the area at that time. Any cars that stood out from the ones you usually see in town?"
He thinks a moment before shaking his head, "No, ...no, the docks were pretty deserted. We were there quite a while and we didn't see anyone driving. Say that's a good point! I wonder how he got there?"
"Does the name Walter Mathias mean anything to you? Did you ever hear anyone talk about him?"
Carlotta begins to shuffle her feet a bit impatiently, "Well thats about all I can think to ask you, are there any details that you haven't already told us? What about Emma? Do you think she noticed anything?"
"Well sure, everyone knows... knew Mr. Matthias," says the lad.
Emma is brought to the door and after several more minutes of investigation and questioning it becomes apparent that her story agrees with that of her boyfriend. They were walking along the docks, specifically not doing anything they weren't supposed to be, other than sneaking her out of the house before a big test. They heard screams from the deck of the bouncing skipper. These were followed by the sound of splashes, like things were being thrown in the ocean. They ran into a creepy guy with a weird grin who stared at them until they ran away. They have not told the police because they were scared of getting her in trouble with her parents.
Follow-up questions reveal nothing else.
Katja barely focuses on anything Carlotta, Kenny, or the two teens have said. Her stomach feels like it's heaving, and she's been gritting her teeth, for- it feels like - hours. This is when life is at its absolute worst. When all color and meaning drain out of the environment, and other people's voices are nothing more than a grating, incomprehensible blur (blare?) - just like the voice of an adult in an old Charlie Brown cartoon. And you can't muster any faith in ANYthing.
Just don't drink, Katja. Just don't drink.
Katja looks up, focuses her eyes on some pinkish-white patch, something friendly: Carlotta - Carlotta's face.
"Are we done here? 'Cause truth to tell, I don't feel so good."