Chapter Two: Sunday Sermon

[thehitcat]

Raging Tiger nods at the Count and he offers a hand to Luke to help him off the floor, "Come on big fella" he rasps and then follows Ookami toward the baths.

[Muskrat]

Pilgrim looks from the four rottweilers to Crystal's children and back again with some concern. "I'm glad to see you've mad some new friends," he says, "but are you quite sure those dogs are safe? I assume you rescued them from SMM, which is a good thing--we should treat all God's creatures with kindness--but who knows how those thugs treated these poor beasts and what abuse they've been through. Plus, I'm pretty sure they weren't exactly trained as house pets."

[Trogdor]

"If they're willing," Nikolai says cautiously, "I have a small courtyard inside." He gestures through the door. "It has a fountain and some open area for them to run about it. I wouldn't say it's a perfect solution, or even a permanent one. But it might serve for the moment."

[Eanwulf]

OOC

Alright then, time for the fun part. Getting you all on the same page and finishing up Hayabusa's Prelude. Wish me luck!

Count Tenebrous' offer of a hot shower seems to be most welcome, even by those not having crawled about in the sewers. A good portion of the group retires itself to the Count's massive bath house whilst the other portion remains where they are to continue on with their conversation.

For those that do take the Count up on his offer, well they find themselves lost in the grandeur of a good old-fashioned hot bath and shower; the entire ordeal a most soothing and refreshing of experiences. Once done with their baths, the group returns wearing blue cotton bath robes and with a neatly folded pile of dirty clothes in tow, compliments of the Count's spectral minions.

Those that remain in the Count's living room, discuss how they will open the safe as well as what to do with the four slavering guard dogs that now seem to be part of their crew. Pilgrim's concerns are genuine, but time spent with the beasts quell any concerns the young man might have.

OOC

Those in the living room? Young Warren teases the dogs, forcing them to snarl and bark loudly. The pudgy kid immediately acts the fool and like a coward, stating it wasn't his fault and crying to his mother. The dogs' barking quickly wakes up young Pearce whom notices their presence and then turns to his mother and brother then smiles. Rushing to the animals, he quickly wraps his arms about a dog's neck and squeezes it with loving admiration. The four animals instantly cease their barking and act like affectionate puppies. There is no denying it now, there is something very 'special' about these two young boys!

As to the concern of the safe, well Mr. Han lays that one to rest as well. The old Asian man steps forwards and waves his hand, summoning forth an all-too-familiar-looking toolbox. "Let Mr. Han take a look at safe." the man proclaims happily, now motioning for his toolbox to open. "Mr. Han always good at fixing things."

OOC

When the others are showering, Lady Esmeralda walks over to Mr. Han to introduce herself. The two then proceed to speak with one another in hushed Spanish whispers. For the most part Mr. Han merely smiles and answers as best he can. In time, Lady Esmeralda's whispers become agitated and angered, her voice breaking subtle protocol upon more than one occasion. Ultimately she simply throws her hands up into the air and adopts a cordially polite demeanor, most likely feigned. Mr. Han however, seems to be a tad bit nervous if not embarrassed about the entire affair.

Anybody not showering speak or understand Spanish? If so PM me.

Some time spent looking over the safe, Mr. Han nods that it is not trapped and begins to work on picking its lock. About the time the others have returned from their baths, he has successfully done so.

Creaking open the front of the safe, Mr. Han and the others notice the following contents inside:
About 5-grand in cash.
Some ampules of crack and some vials of Albuterol. It would appear that Tough Luck is asthmatic.
A black leather book. The one T.L. mentioned in his phone call.
A large wooden box of intricately carved black walnut. Also mentioned.

[Muskrat]

"Well," says Pilgrim. "We know what to do with the book and all that, but do we want to do with the crack and the money? Legally, we stole this stuff ourselves, even if morally we didn't because Tough Luck told us to get it, so I don't think we can turn it over to the police. Maybe Mr. Fowler would know more about that. I guess we can just flush the crack down the toilet, but the money ... I think we should discretely give it to charity, though I'm not sure how you can be discrete with six grand." He pauses to think a moment, then says, "We can always ask Tough Luck what he wants done. Now that he's turning over a new leaf, he might want to see some good done with it."

[Trogdor]

"The money does belong to Tough Luck," Nikolai agrees. "And though it's hard to imagine that he acquired that sum of money legally, he does deserve the benefit of the doubt - at least until we get some more information. The drugs, I agree, should be disposed of."

"Mr. Han, Esmeralda," he says, looking over at the two other mystics. "Shall we look over the book and the box and see what we can do?"

[ardh05]

Ookami comes out of the shower looking mostly like a dog that just got bathed and toweled, with his fur looking like someone braided little clumps of it together all over. He sees Pearce hugging the lead Rottweiler and smiles, "They're good dogs, guessing they were T.L.'s guard dogs, treat them well and they'll guard you." He walks over to the dogs and tries to make sure they understand that the children and their mother are to be guarded, that they were pack members. He then walks over to an empty corner and shakes, trying to get the fur loose, but only succeeding in rearranging it.

[veritas]

Jack sits on the couch, sipping a brandy. He politely ignores the minor altercation between Esmeralda and Mr. Han, thinking better of involving himself in the affairs of wizards.

"Perhaps we should turn the drugs over to the police. I know that on occasion they use such things in sting operations. It might be useful to them, if we can find a way to get the drugs to them without raising questions, of course."

[Eanwulf]

OOC

Sorry can't resist. Quick, somebody get a hair dryer! Watch Ookami flee and whimper in panic!

Back to cleaning up my own bathroom mess. Had a seal on one of the toilet tank mounts break loose and drain the water out.

NOT COOL!

[Chanur]

"Thanks RT." Luke says as Raging Tiger helps him off the floor. He follows the group to the showers eyeballing the heck out of the hot woman in the apartment. He finds it funny the group has now acquired 2 of them. After getting all clean he walks out with the towel wrapped around him and takes his dirty clothes to his house. Getting dressed he comes back wearing jeans and a blue well fitted shirt just in time to see what is in the safe. "Crystal if you do end up keeping the dogs and need a hand with them let me know. You know where I live." Luke has kind of a soft spot for the mutts. Turning to the safe "What do we have here?"