Awake In The Real World

Carlotta yawns and looks around in the morning, mussed from bad dreams.

Carlotta goes over to her bag, and looks through it for something to wear. Her 'nice' dress is a complete wrinkled mess, which leaves racing togs, or shorts and a tank top, or rain gear.

Morning light slants through the curtains, and the gentle hum of English morning traffic echoes.

<> Carlotta says "Oi! Get outta th' way, y' blasted freak!"

Justin growls finally, after not getting back to sleep, fling himself bodily out of the bed *thump* and then into his jeans and t-shirt. Hand rubbing his short, purple hair into a ruffle and then he goes into the bathroom to brush teeth.

<> Demiurge laughs. Not really.

The hotel supplies a big array of bathroom toiletries, enough to make anybody happy.

Carlotta sighs, and trails into the bathroom for a shower before she has to make up her mind.

Justin eyes a few of those dubiously, selects toothbrush and paste and uses those first to clean out his mouth and brain before actually figuring out the rest.

Soon the body is clean, if not the mind.

Positioned conveniently in both bedrooms is a small note about the hotel's one-hour drycleaning service, free to customers.

Carlotta showers, dries off, braids her hair into something reasonable, and wanders out.

Justin's brain does linger on the tang of regret, even as his mouth freshens. He eyes the note, "Wawl... hmmm..." eyes his t-shirt and jeans, which have probably never been dry cleaned in their lives...

Carlotta looks dubiously at the dry cleaning service, then at her remaining accessories, and wonders if they do lingerie, or if she should pull out the woolite and do it in the sink.

There's also a discreet menu card about the breakfast served in the restaurant downstairs.

Justin grins suddenly and skins out of his clothes, calls the number for the service.

A polite male voice says, on Justin's phone, "Can we help you, sir?"

<> Justin gets diverted again.

<> Carlotta says "Bet the Hotel's never been asked to dry clean a pair of ratty jeans and a t-shirt."

<> Demiurge will assume your drycleaning is arranged, and you get a tshirt and jogging pants from the hotel's stock. ;)

<> Justin says "Perfect."

<> Justin half wanted to see the face of the guy picking up the clothing, but.... that'll do.

<> Demiurge grins.

Carlotta settles for a sports bra, tank top, and a pair of biking shorts while her dress and accessories are tended to.

<> Demiurge says "This is a Very Expensive Hotel. They'd be polite."

Justin jumps into the shower for a ten minute brisk round of singing in the bathroom underwater and comes out clean and slicked with the white towels tinged with purple leaking from his hair.

Justin pulls on the jogging pants and t-shirt and feeling much more lively, trots down to there they say there will be food.

There is a restaurant, with a _long_ buffet selection, hot toast, hot food, cold food, cereal, half a dozen different coffee variants, and so forth.

Carlotta is already down in the 'restaurant', with juice and some carbos in front of her.

As Justin enters, he can spot Carlotta eating a healthy breakfast.

Carlotta is looking somewhat more severe, with her hair pulled back tightly into a racing braid, and more athletic, since she's not wearing her nice dress.

Justin eyes the spread, nods at Carlotta just in greeting, gets into the buffet and balancing two full-sized plates on his left arm, he piles as much meat and then bread on his plates as possible. A few eggs on top of that and two mugs of black coffee in his right fist and he's set to join Carlotta.

Carlotta says "Hola. You eat like my uncle Carlos."

Justin grins, "A big man, was he?" and thumps both plates by Carlotta.

Justin settles happily in front and starts shovelling the protein in...

Carlotta says "Is. Like three hundred pounds. He works for the city, but I don't think he's gonna make it to retirement."

Justin nods at that and eats happily.

Carlotta shrugs, and gets back to her meal.

Justin says "Well, I don't get this kinda... choice... too often. Usually eggs and chips in the old flat."

Carlotta says "D'you know if there's anywhere to rent a bike and take a decent ride? I had my racing rig shipped straight to Normandy, and I thought I'd be there last night."

Justin says "Rig? Ride?"

Carlotta says "Yeah. Road bike. Like in bicycle. I know you've got 'em here."

Justin squints thoughtfully.

Carlotta says "Even if the traffic's almost as bad as mid-town."

Justin says "I don' know London well enough. Pedal bike? Hm... you can rent those?"

<> Demiurge says "Probably."

<> Carlotta says "Well, considering what Carlotta usually rides, it's a bit like Fittipaldi asking if there's somewhere he can rent an F1, but, yes...)"

Justin says "I could take ya out after breakfast to try'n find one or something."

<> Justin probably has never rented a bike to pedal...

<> Demiurge nods.

Carlotta looks at Justin, then smiles. "That's all right. Maybe the hotel manager knows."

Justin nods at that, satisfied, he offered.

Justin hms, "Hey, I guess he could call around 'r something... and if you want a ride over, I kin do that, too."

Carlotta smiles. "Gracias. Maybe we'll do that."

A silent waiter brings a jug of black coffee over to the table, then retreats again.

Carlotta supposes if Justin eats like Uncle Carlos, he's at least as friendly as Uncle Carlos, too. And Uncle Carlos throws a good party.

Justin gives Carlotta a shyer grin back for her Latin warmth and digs back into his food.

Justin blinks mildy at the jug, offs one of his coffee mugs and sips the other a bit more decorously.

Justin gradually slows down his eating as he nears the end of his second plate.

A waiter places a sheaf of the morning's newspapers on a general table nearby, then retreats again.

Justin peers curiously at what headlines he can see.

Carlotta grabs a paper, and picks through it. Sports section first, to see if there's anything about the upcoming race in France. Then local stuff.

There is, indeed, a mention of the upcoming race in France. There's worldwide stuff on the front page. Much as usual. The world hasn't changed overnight. There's a mention of this, of that, of business...

<> Demiurge says "Carlotta, gimme a Per roll, with bonus. ;)"

<> Carlotta rolls the d666 and gets 4 1 CHECK: 5.

<> Carlotta says "Whoa."

There is not any mention of a shooting in a London hotel yesterday. At all.

Justin munches the last of his toast and marmelade and riffles through the front pages of all the papers thoughtfully.

Nothing. Anywhere. No shootings. No zombies. No references at all. A nice page 3 picture in the Sun, mind. Very full-bosomed.

<> arcangel . o O (It Never Happened)

<> Kerravon peers at Demiurge. . .

Justin studies the page 3 girl with some satisfaction, but his eyes narrow a bit with the absence of anything...

Otherwise the papers seem perfectly normal.

Justin frowns quietly. "Nothin' about the shootin'. Like nothin' happened."

Carlotta gives Justin a *look* when he looks at the page-3 girl, and then nods. "Nada."

Carlotta says "I don't know if that's good or bad."

Justin sighs, "I have no idea, either." He's oblivious to the *look*.

Justin wipes up the last of his breakfast, "You want we should talk ta the concierge?"

Carlotta says "Unless you think we should do something else?"

Justin shrugs.

Justin says "Seems yer next step, lass, and I haven't anything urgent for a bit. Mother's likely glad for a bit of quiet and my food seems paid for around here."

Justin looks content after the breakfast.

Carlotta gives a slightly sadistic grin. "Want to come along for the ride?"

Justin takes a bit to get waht Carlotta means, starts to look aghast, "I haven't been on a pedal-bike for years, girl. If you don' mind my Triumph trailin' ya, I could come along just in case more of those zombies get out, though..."

Carlotta laughs softly, and heads over to the maitre d'hotel (or in her world, 'best dressed guy at the front desk') for bike rental info.

Said well-dressed guy does, indeed, give details on several local places that rent out bikes, though he mentions that most will require a deposit and ID. He also asks if Carlotta and Justin wish to leave any messages for their friends.

Carlotta asks if they rent out 'real bikes', which is to say road bikes more suitable for racing (or keeping in racing form), and not mountain bikes or *shudder* tourist bikes.

Justin thinks and nods about leaving a message, "Sure, mon. Leave a note as to which shop she decides on and we'll be gone, about hos long, Carlotta?"

Carlotta says "Well, I didn't get in any exercise yesterday, and it's not good to ride a bike that's not your own for too long... we'll be back by noon, I guess."

The gentleman has to pause in order to check up on the phone about this. He returns to state that one place, which is linked to its own small practice track, hires racing-type bikes, but the rest are just mountain or tourist bikes.

Justin looks horrified at the 'noon'.

Justin says "Yer gonna be out *hours* on a pedal bike?"

Justin just shakes his head, "Well, gues I'll get to know more of what old London looks like."

Carlotta says "Well, three or four hours."

Carlotta says "No more. Less if the fit's not right."

Justin just shakes his head.

Justin says "Okay..."

Carlotta grins, swings by her room to grab a couple of spare water bottles, her helmet, gloves, and a few energy bars, and heads for the bike rental place.

<> Demiurge says "As you two got up early, it's probably only 8-8.30 am now."

<> Demiurge says "Is Justin going to try and navigate with Carlotta on the back of his bike, or shall the hotel call a taxi for her?"

<> Justin is going to try and navigate with her on the back of his bike.

Justin eyes his clothing thoughtfully and goes back to his room for his leathers and, if the clothing is clean and in his room, he'll skin back into his own things.

Indeed, Justin's clothing is now clean and fresh.

Justin gets his helmet as well and gets back down to the lobby and waits for Carlotta there.

The convenient hotel person provides a map of London and the place's address. It's about half an hour away, out towards the suburbs.

Carlotta comes down, dressed in a biking jersey, and racing shorts, wearing a pair of really keen sunglasses.

Justin eyes Carlotta's figure in the tight clothing, sighs just a bit and leads the way to his Triumph.

It's obvious from looking at the Triumph that that's where Justin's care and loving affection goes.

Carlotta has a figure like a near-pro level female bike rider, which is to say almost no bosom, and lean like a cheetah. Not at all like the page 3 girl.

Justin admires it anyway.

Carlotta eyes the Yriumph, and laughs. "I'm supposed to ride on the back of that?"

Justin brushes a bit of dust from the seat, "Yes. Just keep yer legs off da exhaust... that plastic'll melt right off.."

Justin pops out the foot pegs for a passanger in the back for Carlotta and pulls the bike off its stand and gets on and looks at Carlotta, waiting for her to swing on behind him.

Carlotta says "Eh?"

Carlotta shrugs, settles her helmet on her head, and sits on the bike. How odd.

Justin touches the pip a bit above the left pipe. "That. Don't touch."

Carlotta says "Right."

Justin nods and puts his helmet on and then stands up on the starter and kick starts it hard, while throwing open the throttle and doing an oddly intricate looking manuver with the choke...

<> Justin contemplates, is it actually going to start?

<> Justin says "Probably..."

The machine growls into throbbing life.

Justin's grin is hidden behind the helmet, but he keeps the engine alive with a balanced touch, letting it warm up a bit before he roars off intothe traffic, heading for the address...

Carlotta winces a bit at the noice, and then hangs on for dear life.

The two are just in time to experience London Rush Hour. Fortunately, the hotel itself isn't in the middle of a busy section, and they're heading out of the centre of town rather than further in -- but even so, the roads are crowded. Above, the sky is a pale cloudless white-blue, with the sun a cool globe of light.

<> Kerravon says "Ignore the thunder-clouds that hang loosely in the distance. Probably over the evil-henchman's lair!"

<> Demiurge snorts.

Justin cheerfully dodges cars, taxis, lorries and delivery vans, occasionally shouting curses at folks that either don't see him or ignore him.

Some other bikers or drivers return the odd curse. Ah, rush hour.

Carlotta looks quite pale for a bit, then figures out that Justin rides this bike the way she delivers packages (well, not including the cursing bit...well not so -much- cursing...and usually in spanish).

<> Demiurge says "Now should I make Justin roll for navigation, or just assume he gets there safely?"

<> Justin says "As you wish. "

<> Justin is a Scotsman, dang it, he won't ask for instructions!

<> Demiurge says "Let's have an Int roll. With bonus."

<> Justin rolls the d666 and gets 3 2 CHECK: 5.

With the benefits of much experience, Justin easily navigates the area, making his way through a tangle of suburban streets to the small but clearly busy bike hire place, _Monarch Bikes_.

A middle-aged woman outside in overalls and headscarf is currently scrubbing the front window clean.

Justin comes to a smooth stop in front of the shop and lets the motorbike idle a minute before shutting her down.

Carlotta shakes her head to clear her ears, and walks into the bike shop.

Justin grins after Carlotta's motion and settles to wait outside.

Carlotta walks up to the woman and asks if they have high quality road bikes for rent.

The woman looks Carlotta over, and seems impressed. She allows that yes, they do indeed have high quality road bikes, and would Carlotta care to come inside and see them?

Carlotta nods, smiles, and walks in.

<> Carlotta says "Hmm, this place didn't have a cross or a star on it, did it? Or anywhere nearby?"

<> Demiurge says "Nope."

Inside, the place smells delicately of cycle oil, paint, and sweat. The various bikes on display (and chained to their racks) are all decent models, though some are better than others. Outside, the air is still morning coolness (though warming) and little sparrows twitter on the rooftops in their cutely mindless way.

Carlotta walks through the bikes, eyeing sizes, components, and manufacturer (in that order), and finally arrives at one that more-or-less approximates her usual bike in size and components.

The woman nods. "That'll do." She names a rental figure and a deposit sum that are both reasonable.

Carlotta thinks it sounds even more reasonable since it's in pounds, then converts, and thinks it's not quite *that* reasonable, but pays.

The woman nods. "You're American, right? Ever done any riding in the UK before? Left hand side of the road?"

Carlotta says "Not really."

Carlotta says "I'll be careful."

She nods. "We've got a small track out back, if you want to do some speed work."

Carlotta grins. "I don't do tracks, really. But thanks!"

Carlotta spends a few minutes going over the bike, getting it properly adjusted.

Justin idly revs his engine out front, listening to the way it runs, always alert for odd sounds.

The woman grins in return. "Good riding!"

The engine growls properly, with the suitable forceful tone but without irregularities.

<> Demiurge says "Were Carlotta and Justin reckless enough to bring one of the copies of the Map with them?"

<> Justin will mostly just be following Carlotta and looking out for attackers... "Justin might have left it accidentally in his jacket if copies were made for everyone..."

<> Demiurge says "I think photocopies were made."

<> Carlotta would have one then. Bicyclists tend to carry maps. Esp. in a foreign country.

Outside, the sun is shining, the wind is blowing, and London is buzzing with activity. All nature seems to beckon Carlotta to come out and ride her bike fast.

Carlotta warms up properly, and then, as it were, gets it in gear.

And there is road that can be cycled on.

Justin follows, his motorcycle humming behind her.

<> Carlotta rolls the d666 and gets 1 5 CHECK: 6.

<> Carlotta has a -good- day cycling, yes.

<> Demiurge says "What was that for?"

<> Carlotta looks innocent and virtuous.

<> Carlotta says "How well the workout goes. Fairly well, it looks like."

<> Carlotta says "Well, that and her attempt to blow Justin's mind at how fast and far woman on a bicycle can go."

<> Demiurge chuckles. Yes.

If she could see Justin's face, it would doubtless look impressed.

<> Demiurge says "Is she just tooling round here in an outer district of London, or trying to head into the center of London? If she goes into the center, she'll have to go slower."

<> Carlotta says "Around the outer edges, and if her map (a regular map) looks good, off into the countryside. Anything that even comes close to mimicking the French countryside."

<> Demiurge says "That'll probably take her the full morning, yes."

<> Demiurge says "I'll leave her riding, and pause there."

<> Demiurge says "Kate-Lynn and Raquel are both in their bedrooms at the Very Expensive Hotel."

Raquel opens her eyes, ponders that this is a very different ceiling than she is used to, and then starts the Get Up Routine.

The room is luxurious, the bathroom is luxurious, a small card announces a drycleaning service for clothes on demand, and a menu mentions breakfast downstairs.

Raquel ponders which of her clothing would do well for drycleaning, and which she should leave alone in case the police want to be reassured that she wasn't hauling dead bodies around.

Kate-Lynn sits up sharply, casts off the covers, and heads into the shower. It speeds things up enormously, she figured out a long time ago, if she just jumps in while it's cold and starts the process while it heats.

The shower becomes hot almost instananeously, bathing her in blessed warmth.

Raquel carefully tucks yesterday's dress away and pulls out her other one, something nice and gray and staid. She lays it out, then goes for her own shower, and wallows in decadance for a while. Mmmm, hot water. Endless hot water.

<> Raquel says "Is it the kind of hotel that has Mint Oatmeal Soap? (Mmm, that stuff smells great.)"

<> Demiurge says "Yes. ;)"

Raquel uses a lot of the fancy soap. It smells good and gets rid of the zombie yuck that lingers psychologically.

Kate-Lynn considers the day, trying to remember what her plans were before someone mailed her a disembodied head. Idly, she shampoos.

<> Kerravon . o O (Kate-Lynn is using Head & Shoulders???)

Time passes in a pleasant haze of hot water and nice smells.

<> Kate-Lynn snerks.

Kate-Lynn, then, clean, jumps from the shower and dresses. Breakfast time. That's right; today, she conquers France.

Raquel eventually decides that she's going to prunify and regretfully leaves the shower, wrapping herself in a towel, and using another on her hair. Mmmm. Towels.

Raquel eventually gets clothing on her hyperclean body and wanders down to breakfast, wondering if she's managed to be the last up.

Breakfast is downstairs. It is major and spreads across several tables. The two women arrive at approximately the same time.

Raquel waves to Kate-Lynn.

Kate-Lynn waves. "'quel."

Raquel says "Good morning."

Raquel double-checks the time, to make sure it's morning.

Kate-Lynn selects scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, and a waffle.

Kate-Lynn says, as Raquel checks her watch, "It's morning if you want it to be."

Kate-Lynn grins.

It's about 9.30 am. It's morning. Some other people are breakfasting quietly at different tables.

Kate-Lynn flops in a chair, before or after ordering depending on whether it's a buffet or a waiter-based system.

Raquel giggles. "Just making sure we were in the same time-zone?" Then she selects her own breakfast. Pancakes. Waffle. Fresh orange juice.

A buffet is set out, but waiters are available for command.

Raquel heads for Kate-Lynn's table after she's been by the buffet.

Kate-Lynn says, "Sleep well?"

Raquel frowns thoughtfully, sipping her juice. "I had a strange dream."

Kate-Lynn says, "Barometric pressure, probably."

Kate-Lynn says, "Does funny things to the human brain."

Raquel nods. She comments, "I'd wonder about the rest of it, but the head eating me was definite nightmare material." Then she attacks her breakfast for a few moments.

<> Justin laughs quietly at realizing that neither Justin nor Carlotta even *mentioned* the dreams.

<> Raquel is just more of a spiritual type. Nyah.

<> Justin says "Oh, so *true*. I'll leave that to you."

<> Demiurge grins. I'm sure Justin has had worse dreams after getting thoroughly wasted.

Kate-Lynn says, wisely, "If one is to be eaten, better it be done by a head."

Kate-Lynn says "Being eaten by a bush or a foot or something would be just disturbing."

<> arcangel represses her initial comment. _Not_ in character...

<> Kerravon pat-pats arcangel for being a good little arcangel. . .

<> Justin hee.

Raquel chuckles. "It was metal head, so it was a bit disturbing anyway." She shakes her head. "Couldn't sketch the images and get rid of them, either. That was annoying."

Kate-Lynn says, "Maybe it was symbolic. Like, the metal head could stand for the cops."

Kate-Lynn says, "Because, y'know, riot helmets."

Raquel brightens. "Oh, I hadn't thought of that."

Kate-Lynn takes a bite of egg and potato.

Raquel goes on, "So the enemy whose face I couldn't remember would be, um, the fellow who called on the phone." She looks around, remembering that saying "assassin" in a public place might be seen as crass. She adds, bemusedly, "But what would I have been doing speaking about revolution in public?"

Raquel waits to be psychoanalyzed by Kate-Lynn, and eats a bit of waffle.

<> Justin shivers a moment, glad he isn't here to hear *that*.

Kate-Lynn considers this.

Kate-Lynn says, "Perhaps the government was corrupt and its time had come."

Kate-Lynn rubs waffle in syrup.

Kate-Lynn says, "Or perhaps you had just invented the gyroscope."

Raquel nods. "Well, in the dream, certainly. I don't know why I'd dream _that_, normally. Though it was a very... odd day." Then she giggles at the gyroscope comment.

Kate-Lynn says, "What did we have planned for today?"

Kate-Lynn says, "I'm finding it hard to remember, except for the general idea that conquering France would be good."

Kate-Lynn says, "I hear it's easy."

Raquel shrugs, chasing waffle down with juice. "I was just about to ask you the same thing."

Raquel adds, "What we were going to do, not if we were going to conquer France."

Kate-Lynn says "Well, hm."

Kate-Lynn fishes her phone from her purse. "I need to put this on a chain around my neck, I think," she comments, as she rings up her antisecretary. "I should find out if he had any luck with the surveillance."

Raquel waits, smiling a bit.

The antisecretary answers. "Good morning, Ms Costello."

Kate-Lynn says, "Good morning!"

Kate-Lynn says, "Did you manage to arrange for the surveillances?"

The antisecretary says, "Yes, Ms Costello, but no reports yet."

Kate-Lynn says, "Great. The police haven't contacted you again, I hope?

<> Raquel | No, but there were these three guys in black suits and sunglasses...

The antisecretary says, "No, Ms Costello. Though a couple of the Board members did secure your current phone number and address off me after they learned about the police interest."

Kate-Lynn says, "I *see.*"

Kate-Lynn says, "Thank you."

Kate-Lynn says, "Let me know if anything comes up."

The antisecretary says, "No problem, Ms Costello. Anything else?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Please look up the address for the remaining estates of the extinct noble line of the Blakeneys and have it faxed to my room, within a half hour, or the car, after that point."

Kate-Lynn makes the appropriate good-bye noises and waits for appropriate acknowledgments and hangs up.

Raquel admires Kate-Lynn. How amazing to have an antisecretary.

Kate-Lynn says, to Raquel, "It seems *one* place we can go. However, I'm open to options. We could consult ..."

Kate-Lynn's face brightens.

Kate-Lynn says, "We could consult a voodoo priest!"

Raquel blinks. "Um... Only if their address doesn't have a pentacle, I'd suggest."

<> Kerravon says "Voodoo? Whodoo?"

<> Demiurge says "Gaaah."

<> Kerravon pat-pats Demiurge.

<> Justin contemplates beating Kerravon with a stick.

Kate-Lynn says, "Well, there are probably dozens in London."

Raquel shakes her head, smiling. "I wouldn't know."

Kate-Lynn says, "I don't know if they're nice or not, but in my experience most people are either good or buyable -- it's very rare that you encounter someone who's nasty and not for sale."

Kate-Lynn frowns ever-so-slightly.

Raquel makes a wry face. "How... depressing, I suppose. Sort of."

Kate-Lynn says, "The alternative is worse."

Raquel blinks. "Oh... I suppose I see what you mean."

Raquel says, "The next place odd we go, I suggest we say that we're new down here. Both of the strange people asked if we were, so maybe it's some kind of code-phrase."

Kate-Lynn considers that.

Kate-Lynn says, "Sure!"

Kate-Lynn smiles.

<> Demiurge just laughs.

Kate-Lynn says, "Being pathetic doesn't seem to work."

Raquel smiles back. "I guess not."

Kate-Lynn says, "We're *Guersons* who are new down here."

Raquel coughs on her juice, giggling.

Raquel shakes her head as she gets her breath. "I don't know -- what happened to the one we knew, after all? Didn't the librarian suggest that wasn't... totally unexpected?"

Kate-Lynn considers that.

Kate-Lynn thinks.

Kate-Lynn says, "We can hardly claim to be Dominicans. I think they're all men, aren't they?"

Raquel ponders this.

Raquel says "At the least, I don't think we have the law background -- didn't she say they had law tied up?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Maybe we could be Dominican nuns, but I think that nuns have different holy orders."

Raquel adds, "And Justin might not be convincing that way."

Kate-Lynn says, "Justin could be a Dominican, and we could be his illicit nookie."

<> Raquel sticks Justin into a habit. Yeah.

<> Justin falls over giggling.

<> Demiurge snickers.

Raquel coughs again, and covers a smile with her hand.

<> Demiurge decides that PCs who know how much trouble they're getting their characters into have the most fun. :)

<> Justin thinks so.

Raquel tries to remember the last name of Elizabeta, the librarian.

Raquel asks Kate-Lynn, "Did the librarian yesterday ever mention her last name?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Unless it was Elizabeta, I don't think so."

Kate-Lynn thinks.

Kate-Lynn says, "We *can* find out, though."

Raquel grins. "Well, I suspect I could pretend to be a librarian..."

Kate-Lynn looks down at herself thoughtfully.

Raquel adds, a touch shyly, "If you don't mind me tagging along, that is."

Kate-Lynn says, "I could be a renegade librarian."

Kate-Lynn says, "Of course not!"

Raquel smiles. "You'd be a great renegade librarian. And thank you -- I mean, on my own resources... I'd probably have to just go home."

Kate-Lynn says, "It would be rude, unsafe for you, and unsafe for me to cut everyone out. In no particular order."

Kate-Lynn smiles whitely.

Raquel says, "It might be unsafe for us anyway, but... I'd hate to have to leave this, leave it before we found the end of it..."

Kate-Lynn says, "In fact, here is how we approach this. We find a responsible library employee, possibly on the phone; explain that we wish to commend Elizabeta but have realized that we don't remember her last name. He then tells it to us."

Raquel nods. "She _was_ rather helpful."

Kate-Lynn says, "Since public service careers thrive on commendations, no one's going to object."

Raquel picks at her food. "I wonder if she's called in sick today, in case we come back."

<> Raquel feels so sorry for the angels. I mean, look at this nutty group -- wouldn't _you_ instantly think, "Oh, look, a bunch of PCs! They must be celestials with weird Roles who've been assigned to the same task!"

Kate-Lynn says, "We won't."

<> Kate-Lynn grins.

<> Justin laughs!

<> Kate-Lynn says "And now we're angels of Destiny!"

Raquel nods and pays attention to her food, trying to think of something else that might be useful to do.

<> Kate-Lynn is trying to think of an X National Archives to claim to be a librarian from, but isn't sure. :)

<> Raquel is meek and mild and probably a Dreams Servitor.

<> Raquel says "Justin is Stone."

Raquel says, finally, slowly, "Do... do you think we should trust the fellow at the Tower? About the pentacles marking bad places? I mean, _I_ would, I think, but I can't think of any reason why."

Kate-Lynn considers this.

Raquel makes a mental note to go find a church and do some praying. It couldn't hurt.

Kate-Lynn says, "Yes."

Kate-Lynn says, "My reasoning is this:"

Kate-Lynn says, "They are pentacles."

Raquel nods.

Kate-Lynn says, "People do not mark their fiance's house on a map with a pentacle."

Raquel giggles.

Kate-Lynn says "Or the places they plan to visit on their vacation."

<> arcangel would, but hey.

<> Kate-Lynn says "How'd you ever wind up married? :)"

Raquel says, "And the places with crosses haven't been overtly dangerous to us..."

<> arcangel would mark places to visit -- not the fiance's house. O;>

Kate-Lynn says, "Agreed."

Kate-Lynn ponders.

Raquel nods firmly, looking relieved.

Kate-Lynn says, "Unless the police are following us."

Kate-Lynn says, "If they are, then it might be fun to go somewhere overtly dangerous, just to see what happens."

<> Kerravon thinks you're both weirdos, and would mark places to visit with Golden Apples or Arrows of Chaos.

Raquel fortunately doesn't have a mouthful of juice, and therefore doesn't spit it out.

Raquel says "Ummm... Well, if we're going to do that, maybe we should decide which place is best for that. I mean, someplace not _too_ dangerous. We wouldn't want to get caught in it."

Kate-Lynn says, "Fair enough."

Kate-Lynn says, "I need to memorize the map. Maybe we can make some flashcards or something."

Raquel nods. "Maybe we should make a few duplicate maps."

Kate-Lynn says, "Reasonable. You sketch, yes?"

Raquel nods.

Kate-Lynn says, "It's hard to .." She thinks. "Actually, it's only hard to Xerox in a Fax machine; I suppose a real Xerox could do the job pretty sniftily."

Raquel giggles and nods. "Or we could simply buy another map and mark it."

Raquel adds, "Perhaps with a code of our own."

Kate-Lynn says, "Geez, you're mean."

Kate-Lynn grins.

Raquel looks innocent. Her, mean?

Raquel asks, "What's mean?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Outthinking me like that."

Kate-Lynn grins. "I'm just kidding."

Raquel smiles. "Sorry. Should I try not to do it again?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Nah, keep it up, it'll keep me sharp."

Raquel salutes Kate-Lynn. "Aye-aye, ma'am."

Kate-Lynn says, "Okay. So we find her last name, we get some maps, we mark on them, and then we either drop by our ancestral estates or we go by a cross and pretend to be librarians."

Kate-Lynn says, "Do we need to tie our hair into buns for that?"

Raquel thinks.

Raquel says "Not necessarily, unless it's too long. Braid it back, maybe."

Raquel thinks. "I don't think they'll believe Justin's a librarian."

Kate-Lynn says, "He's our bodyguard?"

<> Justin beams buffly.

<> Demiurge returns, chuckles.

Kate-Lynn takes on a funny voice. "We are just two humble librarians, ma'am, and our bodyguard."

Raquel nods thoughtfully. "If they'll believe that librarians need bodyguards, sure. What about Carlotta?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Our press secretary?"

Kate-Lynn grins, not at all seriously.

Raquel attempts to keep a straight face as she says, "I'm not sure that would be very likely."

Kate-Lynn says, "I don't know. I don't see why she couldn't be a librarian, but ... our nonspecific associate?"

Raquel nods. "That could work."

<> Kerravon | Suddenly, a Triad of Librarians show up. . . They bring along a Bodyguard. Something is amiss, and Dominique decides that maybe Michael _is_ right about Yves being the old bastard he is.

<> Demiurge laughs.

A silent waiter brings across more coffee for the table.

Kate-Lynn says, "She could be a Guerson, just to see what happens."

Raquel puts enough milk and sugar in her coffee to make it dubious that it was ever coffee.

Raquel nods thoughtfully. "Though if they're targeted by people who want to kill them..."

Kate-Lynn says, "It's a concern." She taps her fingers on the table, diverging for a moment into crawling them along sideways like a weird insect. "Elizabeta didn't make it sound that way, but okay. Nonspecific associate."

Raquel nods. "If they put a name to her, she can agree? We'll have to talk her into this," she says as an afterthought.

Kate-Lynn says, "Well, she doesn't *have* to come along. But it's true, I'd like to keep my eye on everyone -- it's not that I'd necessarily throw myself in the way if there was an attack on someone, you know, but I'd like to have that option."

Raquel nods.

Kate-Lynn says, "Better to decide it's not worth it than to come back to a body and never know whether circumstances would have made it worth it."

Raquel shivers. "Yeah."

Raquel asks, "And Mr. Knight?"

Kate-Lynn scratches at her hair, and then pushes it back at the left.

Kate-Lynn says, "Mr. Knight doesn't seem to want to have much to do with us."

Raquel nods.

Raquel traces little patterns in the condensation on her glass. "Are you going to tell him what we're up to?"

Kate-Lynn says, "This is his choice, although I'm sure he'll be irritated that we allowed him to make it."

Raquel chuckles.

Kate-Lynn says, "I guess. Maybe."

Raquel nods.

Raquel says "Whatever you think is right there... He's not really... the sort of person I feel like I understand very well. I guess. From what I've seen."

Kate-Lynn says, "Hm."

Kate-Lynn says, "Here's a thought."

Raquel listens.

Kate-Lynn says, "If we decide to go to a cross, then we ask him if he wants to come. If he decides not to come, we change our minds after leaving and go to a different cross."

Raquel nods. "That seems very reasonable."

Raquel says, "We should find the others and ask them if they'll come along with us on our wild ancestors-and-crosses chase."

Kate-Lynn says, "I trust him, I think," and she hesitates, "but only in the long run. I'm not convinced he won't talk himself into betraying us before he figures out that he's with us."

Raquel nods in thoughtful agreement.

Kate-Lynn says, "And I'd just as soon not have cops behind us or front-page stories about us."

Raquel glances around to see if there are any newspapers around. "That might be too late," she murmurs absently.

There are, indeed, newpapers en masse over to one side, laid out on a table.

Raquel gets up and goes over to collect a reputable newspaper.

Several papers, such as the Independent, the Times, or the Guardian, look reputable.

<> Kerravon darns, they're avoiding the Sun! I hear that it's a truly respectable paper!

Raquel collects these and brings them back to the table, flipping through to see if there's anything about a murder...

<> Raquel avoids the Weekly World News, too, despite the fact it's most likely to have useful things...

<> Demiurge says "Hm. Roll for me, Raquel."

<> Raquel rolls the d666 and gets 1 1 CHECK: 1.

<> Raquel bows.

<> Kerravon thinks their version of the Sun is. . . OH GOD!

<> Kate-Lynn was going to grab a paper herself, but nevermind :)

<> Raquel beats Liz for Trivial Divine Interventions, thank you.

<> Demiurge says "Gah."

<> Demiurge says "Lemme think. :)"

<> Kerravon was trying to say, before Raquel got the intervention, that their version of the SUN is prolly different than our version.

<> Raquel says "_Liz_ gets them for checking for tails, and finding bars. _I_ got one for reading the newspaper."

<> Raquel bows to everyone, holding the current title of Grand Champion for Trivial Interventions.

The papers riffle through her fingers as she manages to drop one. It lands askew on the floor, open to a list of schools and recent exam results. Charterhouse, King Edward's College, City of London School, Christ's Hospital...

Raquel frowns and picks this up. This rings a bell.

It appears to be a standard list of schools with recent surveys and grades.

Raquel scans it thoughtfully, trying to remember why it's looking familiar in some way.

Raquel asks, "Did we hear where our... lawyer came from?"

Kate-Lynn thinks. "South of England somewhre, I think. ... isn't there an ocean south of England? Maybe he rose from the deeps."

Raquel hands the newspaper over. "There's something familiar about these..." she says, tapping the section with a finger.

Kate-Lynn looks at the section.

<> Demiurge says "Int roll from either of you?"

<> Raquel rolls the d666 and gets 6 2 CHECK: 6.

<> Kate-Lynn rolls the d666 and gets 6 5 CHECK: 3.

<> Demiurge says "Raquel, your razor-keen mind flicks over the last day, and correlates the policeman's reference that the man was a "teacher" and the ticket stub for the train from "Christ's Hospital" Station to Victoria Station in his case."

<> Raquel glorks.

<> Demiurge says "Kate-Lynn, you need more coffee."

Kate-Lynn waves her hand for a garcon to get her more coffee.

Raquel swats the table with her fist, unexpectedly hard, but doesn't notice. "Ha! The police called him a teacher. The ticket was from 'Christ's Hospital' station, to Victoria Station -- right?"

Kate-Lynn says, helpfully, "Okay."

Raquel sits back and drinks her adulterated coffee.

A waiter fetches Kate-Lynn more coffee.

Raquel tugs the newspaper back. "Does it have teacher names here?" she mutters, half to herself. "Maybe we could find out something from _there_... If the police and the as--uh, person on the phone haven't gotten there first. But would they ask the other librarians what he was studying?"

Kate-Lynn suddenly grins.

Kate-Lynn says, "Maybe they're *all* librarians."

Raquel looks up. "Surely not _all_..."

Kate-Lynn says, "Maybe the person we need to talk to to figure all this out is Joss Whedon!"

The newspaper doesn't seem to include teacher names, unfortunately.

Raquel looks for history scores, recalling that they called him a history teacher.

The history scores look reasonably high. Averaging in the seventy per centiles.

<> Kate-Lynn says "Producer, concept creator, and frequent writer for Buffy the Vampire Slayer :)"

Raquel says, blankly, "Who?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Have you ever seen 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer?'"

Raquel shakes her head.

Kate-Lynn says, "Basically, you have undead, mysterious librarians at small-town schools, girls with mysterious fighting ability for no apparent reason . . ."

Raquel laughs.

Kate-Lynn says, "And a *Council* in *England*."

Kate-Lynn says, "Where all the librarian-types *gather*."

Raquel says, "I'm not sure we should expect this weirdness to imitate that... But..."

<> Demiurge chokes.

Raquel giggles. "We should probably not discount it..."

Raquel asks, "But do mysterious people shoot at them?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Yes."

Raquel rests her forehead in her hands and giggles. "Oh dear."

Kate-Lynn says, "I'll have my antisecretary give him a call."

Kate-Lynn says, "Well, his secretary."

<> Demiurge says "Curses, you've found out the true theme of the campaign."

Kate-Lynn says, worriedly, "Hopefully, they won't explode."

Raquel moves her plate aside carefully, and her glass, and her coffee mug, and puts her head on the table to giggle helplessly.

Raquel asks, a little muffledly, "And what are _his_ librarians' last names?"

Kate-Lynn thinks.

Kate-Lynn wiggles her fingers, thinking.

Kate-Lynn says, "Giles. He goes by his last name."

Raquel tries to sit up and look demure. "If our local librarian's name is also Giles..."

Kate-Lynn says, "It's true. That would be a good sign."

Raquel laughs again.

Raquel says "The library opens at 10..."

Kate-Lynn says, "Well, a sign."

Raquel looks for the time.

It is now 10.30 am. The perils of long discussions over breakfast, and long showers before it.

Kate-Lynn says, "Oh, good. We'll know what car she drives by now, then, hopefully."

Kate-Lynn says, "Well, potentially."

Raquel grins. "And call about the commendation?"

Kate-Lynn says, "I doubt the surveillance reported it, but I'm sure he took it down."

Kate-Lynn says, "I hope."

Kate-Lynn says, "It's true! I can place that call."

Kate-Lynn says, "Or would you like to try it?"

Raquel shakes her head, smiling. "It's your phone!"

Kate-Lynn fishes out her phone.

Raquel gets a mouthful of coffee just in case.

Kate-Lynn considers this.

Kate-Lynn calls Information and asks to be connected to the information number for the British Library.

<> Kerravon | The Cellphone appears cool to the touch. . .

<> Kate-Lynn steps through the phone, wishing she'd bought up her Warfare.

<> Liz reads backscroll, and nearly spits coffee all over her keyboard as we find out that we're playing in the Buffyverse.

<> Kerravon notes that Benedict is really Michael. Or something.

There is some clicking and buzzing, then a polite male voice states, "Information. Can I help you?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Hi! My name's Kate; I was wanting to submit an, um, whatever you call it, a customer commenda, um, well, the point is, I had a really great experience talking to one of your librarians, an Elizabeta someone, and I wanted to know Elizabeta *who* so I could make sure that the right person got the commendation."

The polite male voice says, "It's no problem. I'll check it up this end and put it on her record. Thank you very much, Ms...?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Giles! But I didn't finish *writing* it yet."

Raquel smothers a giggle.

The polite voice says, "Well, if you'll ring us up when you have, we'll be delighted to put it on her record."

Kate-Lynn says, "So I don't need her whole name? I can just send whatever I have?"

The voice says, "Certainly."

Kate-Lynn says "That's great, then. I'll ring back soon!"

Kate-Lynn says, with a frown, after hanging up, "Heck."

Raquel looks curious.

Kate-Lynn says, "I've never done this before; evidently I was wrong about how it goes."

Raquel says "Drat."

Raquel says "They wouldn't give you her name?"

Kate-Lynn nods.

Kate-Lynn says, "I'm sure there are employment records somewhere."

<> Demiurge says "Consider the concept of stalkers, and public employees handing out names to anybody who asks."

Raquel frowns. "Hm. Maybe she warned the rest of the Librarians Council about us..."

<> Kerravon says "Depends on your universe."

<> Kate-Lynn says "Depends on the number of times policy is hammered into the employee, depending in turn on the institution :)"

<> Kerravon says "And if you're an Impudite or a Bal trying to use your Resonance over the phone."

Raquel shrugs. "If you had her under surveillance, maybe they can find her address, and her name could be linked there? On her mailbox?"

Kate-Lynn says, "To be honest, the investigator probably knows exactly how to get the rest of her name, and will do so at some point. This is the advantage of professionals."

Kate-Lynn taps her fingers on the table. "You know."

Raquel says "Hm?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Let's just be Guersons. The assassin knew which one of us was his target, after all."

Raquel says, "_That_ one did..."

Raquel grins. "You be Guerson, and I'll be Giles?"

Kate-Lynn says, "Okay!"

Raquel laughs!

Raquel then smothers this in a gulp of coffee.

Kate-Lynn adjusts her hair. "I'm Kate Guerson, object liberator, and this is my personal librarian, Raquel Giles."

Kate-Lynn says, "I need a leather beret."

Raquel smiles. "Maybe we should pick one up, when we pick up some spare maps?"

Raquel suggests, "And how about Rachel Giles? Flows better..."

<> Kate-Lynn says "'G' is a simple codename for 'government agent'."

<> Raquel says, deadpan, "We're G-women."

Kate-Lynn says, "Fair enough. Or we could try and toughen you up and just call you Ripper."

Raquel snorts mildly. "Nooooo.... That's not a good name for someone who works with books!"

Kate-Lynn says, "Mm."

Kate-Lynn says, "Okay, Rachel."

Raquel nods cheerfully. "Should we go find Justin and Carlotta and tell them what we're up to? Or at least get the map and write down the locations..."

<> Demiurge assumed you made multiple photocopies of the map, actually.

<> Kate-Lynn okays.

<> Demiurge says "After all, given a photocopier, why not."

<> Raquel says "At least 1, but that's hardly the same as having a nice foldy map."

<> Raquel says "Marked with _our_ own codes!"

<> Demiurge laughs.

Kate-Lynn says, "Sure, let's call their rooms. And mark up a purchased map."

Raquel finishes off her coffee and starts getting up. "Lead on, Ms. Costello."

<> Raquel, sidekick.

Kate-Lynn stands.

Raquel follows where Kate-Lynn leads. (More fool her, probably.)

Kate-Lynn drops by the restaurant desk to take care of the bill, if necessary, signing it to her room, and then troomps up to pound on Justin's door.

Nobody answers Justin's door.

Kate-Lynn thinks.

Kate-Lynn moves back down the hall a bit and murmurs, "Do you think he's okay?"

Kate-Lynn says, softly, "I hate to break down the door if he's sleeping in."

Raquel spreads her hands. "He might have gone somewhere already... What about Carlotta?"

Kate-Lynn nods quietly, and moves on to Carlotta's door.

Kate-Lynn knockknockknock.

Again, no answer to the thumping.

Kate-Lynn considers this.

Raquel adds two and two and gets pi. She blushes faintly before she can sternly tell herself there are other explanations.

Kate-Lynn has visions of Carlotta and Justin lying in pools of blood.

Kate-Lynn backs slowly away from Carlotta's door, bracing herself.

Raquel says "Maybe the front desk saw them leave? Justin's a bit distinctive, and so is Carlotta."

Kate-Lynn almost falls over as Raquel's suggestion catches her in the first quarter-second of a charge at the door.

Raquel reaches out to steady Kate-Lynn, alarmed.

Kate-Lynn carefully recovers her balance.

Kate-Lynn says, "Ah, hm, um, okay, we can check."

Raquel nods. "And if not, then maybe we can get them to have a maid check and see if they're all right."

Kate-Lynn tromps downstairs.

Raquel traipses after.

A front desk exists.

Raquel lets Kate-Lynn do the talking, since she thwarted Kate-Lynn from the fun of trying to break down a hotel door.

Kate-Lynn presents herself to the front desk, and says, "I am looking for my companions Justin and Carlotta, in rooms X and Y."

Raquel adds to Kate-Lynn, "Purple hair."

Kate-Lynn says, "Yah, Justin has purple hair."

The woman at the desk nods. "I have a note for you from them, Ms Costello." She passes across a sealed note.

Raquel smiles cheerfully.

Kate-Lynn looks at the note.

Kate-Lynn looks at the seal, to make sure it's not royal or anything, and then opens it.

Raquel politely doesn't try to look over Kate-Lynn's elbow at the note, unless she indicates that's okay.

<> Demiurge says "I don't mean wax seal, I just mean the envelope is stuck closed."

<> Kate-Lynn nods, and guessed.

The note is a brief scrawl from Justin, saying that he's going out with Carlotta to hire a bike for her so she can go cycling, and that they should be back around noon.

Kate-Lynn says, "Hm."

Raquel asks, "Hats and maps, maybe? Meet back here at noon?"

Kate-Lynn says, "That sounds good."

Raquel says "Mind if I tag along?"

Kate-Lynn says, "I had rather assumed it."

Raquel beams. One might think she'd hardly ever had friends before.

Kate-Lynn heads out to get a black leather cap and some maps, with, apparently, the young Watcher Rachel Giles.

Raquel follows after, humming cheerfully, and practices introducing herself as Ms. Giles in her head.

<> Demiurge snickers.

<> Demiurge says "Shall we close there for the moment? I'll assume the cap-buying and map-buying and map-marking."

<> Kate-Lynn says "Okay!"

<> Raquel says "Sure!"

<> Kate-Lynn votes we mark the crosses with "VHS" and the pentacles with "Beta."

<> arcangel says "Yeah!"

---

The League