Jade Hood and Stone Fist Issue #2 (System Tryout)

Jade Hood moves to scoop up the girl, with Stone Fist making himself as wide as possible - a target for three of them to attack! Seeing Mary *finally* struggle to the top of the wall on the rope, Jade Hood begins to climb. It's not easy with Mei Lin slung over his shoulder!

OOC Jade Hood climbs (Agility+Acrobatics) plus 6,5,3. Eeesh. 11 rolled. Including the abilities he has, he manages to get a foothold and climbs halfway up the wall, struggling with his burden whilst a lesser man would've struggled to get off the ground!

Ten feet up and hopefully out of range of fists, Jade Hood struggled on, wincing at the sounds of combat behind him!

Stone Fist readied himself - they were coming in thick and fast, using the butts of their guns!

OOC Guard 1 (CS 9+Brawling 3 + 4 from team attack, all) 11 rolled. Stone Fist defends 20 (!) plus 18. The Guard misses, wildly!
Guard 2, 15 rolled vs Stone Fist 12 rolled plus CS9. He's hit for 4 accuracy.
Guard 3, 12 rolled vs Stone Fist 11 rolled. He's hit for 3 accuracy.

Damage is 8 rolled plus 8 for first guard vs 14 rolled plus 7 for Stone Fist. NO DAMAGE
Damage is 11 rolled plus 7 for second guard, 17 + 7 for Stone Fist. NO DAMAGE

Stone Fist moves like lightning, ducking the blow of one guard, then feeling gun butts crack against his head and shoulder moments later. He laughs, shrugging the blows off and tries to deliver his own powerful blow!

OOC 7 rolled, ugh. Plus CS9 and Brawling 3. 8 rolled plus CS9 for Guard. Hit, 1 accuracy. Damage is 10 rolled, plus 7 for Stone Fist. Guard resists with 13 rolled plus 3. He takes 4 damage.

SMECK!

Stone Fist delivers a blow but is unsatisfied. Off balance, he never connected cleanly. He was about to have more problems though!

OOC initiative...

7 for Jade Hood + CS11 (18)
12 for Stone Fist + CS9 (21)
13 for Guards + CS9 (22)
18 for new guards + CS9 (27)

More guards rush in! There are now six attacking Stone Fist, and he's surrounded!

OOC This will get nasty. All have +6 to hit from the team attack, essentially kicking from every angle, punching when you face one or another. It's a mess. They have CS9 + Brawling 3 + Team Attack 6 (18 each)
Rolls, 15 (SF gets 10+CS9 and is hit for 5 accuracy)
10 (SF gets 15+CS9 and is hit for 2 accuracy)
7 (SF gets 15+CS9 and is hit for 1 accuracy)
14 (SF gets 7+CS9 and is hit for 6 accuracy)
10 (SF gets 5+CS9 and is hit for 5 accuracy)
7 (SF gets 10+CS9 and is hit for 2 accuracy)

Damage (all are simply punching with strength 3)

15+8 vs 12+7=6 damage
7+5 vs 13+7=no damage
11+4 vs 11+7=no damage
8+9 vs 7+7=3 damage
13+8 vs 11+7=4 damage
8+5 vs 14+7=no damage

Stone Fist is left on 1 health point!!!

Reeling from blows delivered by skilled, powerful opponents, Stone Fist is kicked from pillar to post and the men step back.. only to find he is, somehow, still standing! He is dazed, punch drunk and staggered, barely able to stand, but the men are baffled!

Stone Fist makes to deliver a punch, then leaps, straight up and backwards! He soars over the wall, past Jade Hood on the way up and lands on his back with an OOF! in the street, still dazed and seeing stars, even though it was a cloudy night in patches!

Jade Hood continues to climb. He sees Mary squeal and topple over the other side. A twenty foot drop would be awkward to land but it was better that than being beaten to a pulp by coldly efficient thugs!

OOC roll 14 sees you over and dropping over the other side with the rope.

With Stone Fists head spinning, the man himself without a mask or any clothes and dressed only in underpants, Mei Lin bleeding from a gunshot wound and Mary clutching her ankle from the fall, Jade Hood knew it would be only a matter of time before the guards went round to the front gates and spilled out onto the street to where they were. They had time, perhaps, to head into an alleyway and seek cover. Mary gasped with pain, then muttered "That wasn't me! I was being quiet!" wincing painfully and helping Stone Fist to his feet. "You weigh... *oof* a ton!" she gasped.

The group stumbled across the road, a thin trail of blood from Mei Lin. They made it into the shadows as a half dozen guards ran around the corner of the mansion wall, looking up and down the dark shadowy street. One said something in German, and Mary hissed, translating. "Spread out he said." She, Jade Hood and a dazed Stone Fist were hiding behind bins only 20m away from where they'd climbed over the wall.

The raid had been a disaster in most respects - but not all.

The place was hiding something, these were NOT normal guards and they may well have been connected in some was to Baron Bloot and the theft of the ingredients required to make a super soldier serum with a 100% success rate, instead of 1%.

Question was, how would they get out of this mess?

OOC You're in an alleyway with bins, crates and boxes, the odd fire escape 15 feet off the ground and a door here and there into a building, all locked. The guards are fanning out, guns at the ready. Only Stone Fists superhuman durability stopped him from going down, but he took a beating bad enough to flatten a bull elephant, and he's still standing! Mei Lin is in a bad way though, and will die unless tended at some point. Mary cannot run with her ankle. And the guards will find you at some point...

Stone Fist had thrown his clothes over the wall, any chance of them being nearby?

Plan B is Stone Fist throwing Jade Hood up to the fire escape and then throwing the girls up to him to catch, then we get away over the rooftops.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Stone Fist had thrown his clothes over the wall, any chance of them being nearby?

Plan B is Stone Fist throwing Jade Hood up to the fire escape and then throwing the girls up to him to catch, then we get away over the rooftops.

OOC:
Man this has to be the closest we've ever come to loosing a hero! Sheesh!!

Seeing how bad their situation was, when Stone Fist would brook no argument, over the suggestion of helping Jade Hood reach the fire escape, he consented. Allowing himself to be thrown up, he lowered the rope so first Mei Lin, then Mary could be brought up. Then with a when Stone Fist was up, Jade Hood, still cradling the very hurt Mei Lin, made his way carefully to the rooftop, looking for a means of escape.

Sj

OOC Ah, missed about the clothes. No problems.

Stone Fist looked about. Finally, after only seconds that felt like hours with the possibility of being spotted at any moment, he found his shirt, pants and a shoe. Better than nothing. He dressed swiftly, heard the barking of dogs and cursed. Tossing Jade Hood up, he hoped his friend would land safely....

OOC 17 Rolled. Safe enough.

Jade Hood caught the rail, hopped over smoothly and dropped the fire escape ladder. Mary Immediately started up, then was followed by Stone Fist carrying Mei Lin. As Jade Hood took her from his arms, Stone Fist pulled the fire escape ladder up and the group continued to make its way to the roof. By now Stone Fist and Jade Hood were covered in Mei Lins blood, and even Stone Fists incredibly durable skin was looking dark purple in places, evidence that the kicking he'd received would have killed a lesser man!

As they neared the rooftop they heard voices below and loked down. Guards were entering the alley with dogs and the dogs most certainly had their scent! They hurried to the roof and looked down on the grounds of the mansion.

"Wait..." breathed Mary. She was clearly terrified but somehow holding it together. "Are they...? Yes! They are going back to the mansion!"

Stone Fist peered over the roof. It was true! He sagged back, relieved. Meanwhile Jade Hood desperately tried to stem Mei Lins bleeding.

She was in a bad way, and needed medical assistance. "I know a doctor? Doctor Merrit. He lives a few blocks from here, friend of my families. I suppose... he might not ask too many questions. But what about in there? What mysteries does the place hold?" she asked, looking at the mansion.

OOC You can get Mei Lin seen to and lick your wounds, or perhaps try again to get into the place. Clearly SOMETHING is going on in there, but now that they know someone else knows that, security will be tight indeed... Your call. On other note, should be updating every day from now on for a week. Kids are going back to school and I won't be getting nattered every five minutes hopefully. Thanks for your patience!

Admin wrote: Kids are going back to school and I won't be getting nattered every five minutes hopefully. Thanks for your patience![/i]

OOC:
Though as much, no worries mate.

Admin wrote:
She was in a bad way, and needed medical assistance. "I know a doctor? Doctor Merrit. He lives a few blocks from here, friend of my families. I suppose... he might not ask too many questions. But what about in there? What mysteries does the place hold?" she asked, looking at the mansion.

Even under his mask, it was clear that Jade would be taking the life line offered by Mary's suggestion, any doubts were squashed when he said anxiously, "Come let us go to this Doctor! I fear she hasn't got long without help!"

OOC:
Sorry no brainer for me, we've proven we are massively underpowered for the Mansion and far from bullet proof. I don't know how long healing takes after the beating Stone Fist got, but I'd like to know, since I imagine it will be at least a nights rest to be at full health. In addition I don't want to have Mei Lin's untimely death to deal with either.

You might think differently Dave, but Jade sees his priority as sorting out Mei Lin, after that if you feel strongly about taking the mansion, I'd come after sorting her out unless you decide to go alone.

Sj

OOC my rules writing has taken a back seat over the last week, but I'm interested in hearing thoughts and opinions. My initial thought is that every hour you get to check if you can heal any Health points. You make a check with your starting Health (17 in Stone Fists case) vs how many you lost (16 in Stone Fists case). Every 3 points (or part of ) you exceed the target roll total you recover 1 Health point. With a great roll (and lousy roll for the opposing total) you could in theory be back to full health in one hour. Lousy rolls could mean you're struggling for days, all beaten up. You can't put extra effort into the rolls either - it's a passive thing, unless you have a power like regeneration.

Jade Hood stemmed the bleeding as well as he could, and Mary turned to Stone Fist. "I know it may ... grate on your pride to get a beating like that, but those men, they weren't normal! I see guys with guns, and their big and tough, but these? They were like soldiers. They moved, fought, like a machine! My father is in the army and I grew up watching men train. These... these men would make him proud. Or they'd terrify him!"

She had a point. Jade Hood, though more skilled than the men, could recognise skill and training, plus exceptional reflexes and athletic ability.

Something was going on inside those walls.

"And we have the Egyptian connection to check out. This place will still be here when we get back." she offered. Pointing the way across the rooftops, all eyes turned to Stone Fist. "If you're not coming we'll have to climb down and flag a cab, or walk." said Mary. "I'm not sure she has much time left..."

=========

Interlude...



"You saw that? Who were they?" asked a shadowy figure rising from a chair near the window of one of the upper floor rooms in the mansion.

Baron Bloot painfully turned, his injuries still apparent after the beating he'd taken from Stone Fist and Jade Hood. "Those meddlers again. The girl claimed to know nothing of them. Clearly, she may know more than she is letting on. Only sheer numbers kept them away and I know from personal experience that all they lack is experience. The big man is powerful, and make no doubt about it, the other one is skilled. Together they are a potent force that must be destroyed."

"Or studied and copied?"

The Baron considered. "Perhaps. But first we must secure the other parts of the forumla. What we have works, but the cost in terms of lives and time is expensive. I care not for the immigrant workers we used, but we cannot risk it on our own men."

The shadowy figure looked out at the returning guards coming in through the gate. "It worked on those, at least partially."

"But not to their full potential. And let us not forget that to make those twenty five or so, we sacrificed hundreds."

"Hundreds who would otherwise be dead anyway. Prisoners. We are doing the Americans a favour."

"They may not think that unless we produce concrete, guaranteed results. Besides that, whatever we give them will pale in comparison to what we gain. Pack everything up. Get in touch with our press contacts. Put plan Delta into operation."

"And the girl?"

Bloot shrugged. "She may yet be useful. Bring her. Time is of the utmost importance. And time..." he said, picking up an hourglass and turning it over "Is something the worlds governments will soon run out of..."

Interlude ends...

"We will take her to the doctor," Stone Fist said simply. "I need rest. Tomorrow is another day, another opportunity to do some checking."

ooc: As to the healing rules, I would suggest a minimal healing even if you didn't rest, like one point and if you actually did rest, 3 points. Then the variation of extra healing could be rolled for.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"We will take her to the doctor," Stone Fist said simply. "I need rest. Tomorrow is another day, another opportunity to do some checking."

ooc: As to the healing rules, I would suggest a minimal healing even if you didn't rest, like one point and if you actually did rest, 3 points. Then the variation of extra healing could be rolled for.

OOC:
Yeah I find myself agreeing with Dave, spending three weeks trying to heal a single point doesn't sound very heroic. You can imagine asking Galacticus to hold off devouring the world, whilst we get better from fighting Dr Doom! In this case I prefer the GH rules that you always heal, but its just slow without additional benefits. Rolling to heal, seems unnecessarily complicated to me.

As for the action, lets hail a cab and get Mei Lin to the Doctors. We'll let Mary do the talking!

Sj

OOC No problem. There will be a steady healing rate from bashing damage of 1 per hour, and the roll can boost/add to that. From killing damage (guns and the like) the rate should slow to around 1 per 12 hours. No one recovers from a gunshot or knife wound that quick without some special power or ability.

The group travelled across the rooftops as fast as they were able to the Doctors home...

Mary turned to Stone Fist as she knocked on the door again. "I tried to be quiet. I hope you don't think it was my... oh! Doctor Merrit!" A man in his fifties in a dressing gown stood at the door, looking like he'd just gotten out of bed. "Mary? What is...? Who are ... Oh! Has that young lady been shot? Come in, come in..."

The Vigilantes were relaxed somewhat by the mans kindly nature and he ushered them into his home, through a hallway and into a large kitchen where he bid Mei Lin be placed on a table. "This young lady needs a hospital. She's lost a lot of blood." said the Doctor, tipping Mei Lin over to where the bullet had passed through her. "I can plug the holes, but she needs ... in fact." He pondered. "Mary, see to some drinks for your friends, would you? And call for an ambulance. I hope you two young men are... wait. Why do you have a green hood on your head?"

The Doctor seemed to realise that things weren't quite what they seemed, until Mary came forward. "No! They are friends! We were... they saved me from... look, some bad people attacked us. He keeps the hood on because he's, ah, ugly." she said, cringing. "Just save the girl, Alfred!"

Doctor Merrit looked at Stone Fist and Jade Hood. "You've taken a terrific beating young man." he said, looking at the flowering bruises all over Stone Fists face. "Were you run over by a herd of Rhinos?" he asked, then set to work on Mei Lin. "She will need a blood transfusion. I need a sample of blood from all of you. Roll up your sleeves."

Mary looked faint at that, but complied as the Doctor took a sample from Mei Lin to test for compatibility under a microscope in his study. He worked efficiently, quickly and without drama, a true professional. Even so, he rubbed his eyes and pulled away from the microscope even after checking twice with a sample of Mei Lins blood. "Never seen the like before. I can honestly not tell the kind of blood she has in her body! It's as if... she's mutated somehow! This girl is going to bleed to death, and there's not a thing I can do about it!"

Admin wrote:"Never seen the like before. I can honestly not tell the kind of blood she has in her body! It's as if... she's mutated somehow! This girl is going to bleed to death, and there's not a thing I can do about it!"

Jade Hood panicked for a split second, his face wracked by guilt and a spasm of pain as he looked on the girl whom he once said he had loved, her life ebbing away. "Try mine, see it its a match!" The desperation was hard to keep out of his voice, but he felt he had to try something, anything.

He looked across to Stone Fist, he knew that his friend, unlike himself was a product of one or more of the ingredients the Baron was tracking down. Perhaps if Mei Lin also had been affected by the same concoction, his blood, more so than anyone's might be the right match.

OOC:
Talk about drama, wow! Ok so I am guessing my blood isn't going to be any good, but Stone Fists is more likely to be! Having said that I can foresee the possibility that no of us are a match, in which case we really are out of options...unless there is some way Stone Fist and I can contact the group Mei Lin works for and finds a way to get them to help and soon!

Would there be a way to find out who they are, where they meet and a convenient way to get them onboard! Can't help feeling that further down the line this might, if it worked, come back to bite us, though!

Sj

Stone Fist lined up for his blood to be sampled as well but he worried that maybe his skin would be too tough for a needle to puncture.

The Doctor shrugged, clearly nonplussed, but rolled Stone Fists sleeve up anyway. "This will hurt. I'm sorry, I don't have time to be gentle unless..." he stabbed the needle in as he spoke.

And was more amazed when it broke off! "Well I'll be damned! Never had that happen before. I'll grab another needle. You in the ... uh, Hood, I'll try you next. I need a sample, otherwise I'm working blind."

The Doctor took a sample from Jade Hood easily enough and looked under the microscope. "O positive. Easy enough to get hold of. I may have some in the freezer. Somehow, I don't think that will help the young lady. We don't have much time, fellas. You wear a hood and his skin broke a needle. I can try another but I know what I saw. What is going on here, and who is the young lady dying on my kitchen table? Mary? What have you to do with these people? I want to help you, but I need... something. I never saw anyone with skin that could break a needle. In fact, only a Rhinocerous might do that, as far as I know off the top of my head, at least as far as mammals go. This is..." He looked at the dying girl. "If I transfuse ordinary blood into her, she might live, but there's no telling. It might kill her. If you have some way to let me check your blood, son, I'd suggest you do it. For her sake. And if not, I'll do what I can with what blood your friend in the Hood has and the stores I have here. She wouldn't survive the wait for an Ambulance."

Stone Fist lets Jade Hood answer the doctor's question, willing to let him tell what he feels he needs to tell.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Stone Fist lets Jade Hood answer the doctor's question, willing to let him tell what he feels he needs to tell.

Jade Hood looked at Stone Fist, who shrugged and so Jade said, Mei...our friend, was part of a group who looked after a certain compound. A rare substance that when mixed with several other substances made potent poison or even a powerful agent to boost the bodies natural abilities." Gesturing to Stone Fist Jade continued, "Somehow my friend here has been enhanced by one of these combinations, perhaps Mei...our friend has also. That is what we do know, but there is so much that we don't know..."

Jade's voice trailed off as he glanced that the deathly pale face of Mei Lin. Having told the Doctor he was unsure what if anything such a tale could do to change things.

OOC:
Ok so I am wondering where we are going with this? I mean we know nothing about Mei Lin's people, what has happened to her blood nor what we can do to change it. And that's what we do know!

Sj

OOC She might be able to provide answers - if she wasn't dying!

"We will take our sister." hissed a voice from the darkness!

Stone Fist spun, whilst Jade Hood dropped into a crouch with a star in his hand! Doctor Merrit fell back, surprised. "Who...? How...?" he looked unnerved, unsteady. Mary went over to comfort him, whilst squinting into the shadows of the study.

A man (or woman, difficult to tell!) clad in black like a Ninja - like Mei Lin - stepped into the light. Only his eyes were visible with the hood, and they glanced to Stone Fist, then Jade Hood. They lingered on Jade for a second longer, then the person spoke again.

"We will save her life."

At that several dark clad ninja (three in all) moved past the dark figure from the study to collect the girl!

"Time is of the essence. Not just for her, but for the missing elements. The Germans left their mansion a short time ago. We have someone watching it. Your attempt to storm it was valiant, but foolish. I am surprised Mei Lin did not dissuade you. Clearly she thinks you are worthy of her trust, and therefore, I am not your enemy. Do not seek to stop us taking Mei..."

The last words dripped with a measured threat... they weren't here to fight but would engage at a moments notice!

"Who are you people?" spluttered the Doctor. "How did you get into my house?"

The man bowed. "Apologies. We mean no harm, only seeking to save our sister." He turned to JH and SF. Clearly the next move was theirs, and the ninjas prepared to take the girl - or fight.

"Where did the Germans go," Stone Fist asked, finally placing the hood over his head. "If we are going to stop them and punish them, we need to know that."

By his words, he was indicating that the men could take the girl away and try to save her.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Where did the Germans go," Stone Fist asked, finally placing the hood over his head. "If we are going to stop them and punish them, we need to know that."

By his words, he was indicating that the men could take the girl away and try to save her.

Jade stood whilst he hated to place Mei Lin in the life of these men, one look told him that they were similarly trained as they were. They were who they said they were and chances were knew far more about how to transfuse the type of blood she needed. He didn't like it, but reluctantly moving to one side, he let the men come forward to take his...friend!

OOC:
Ok unexpected, but likely the only way to save Mei Lin! But before they go we make sure we get the info we wanted. Suddenly the world has become a much bigger and more dangerous world.

Sj

Mary butted in "Where did they go? My guess? Egypt. Right?"

The dark figure bowed, both as confirmation of Marys question and thanks for saving the life of Mei Lin, though clearly she was still in deep trouble. The Doctor was flustered and unstoppered a a bottle of whisky. "Mid night meetings in my kitchen, shadowy figures, girls bleeding to death on my table, unknown blood types, masked mystery men... I need to lie down. After a drink." Then he smiled, shaking his head "Though I heard something about a nasty immigrant trap being busted up when I was called to attend a beaten thug. This is a wild guess, but I suppose it was you two responsible for that. If so, you'll always be welcome so long as you stick up for the common ma... where did they go?"

Jade Hood and Stone Fist looked, but the men, along with Mei Lin, had gone, as silently and stealthily as they'd come.

Shaking his head, the Doctor asked Stone Fist "Do you want me to take a look at you, son, or will you recover? You look to have taken quite a beating."

Meanwhile Mary did her best to clean the mess up, and then turned to the Vigilantes. "It wasn't my fault - really - that we were discovered at the Mansion. Plus, it sounds as if we've flushed those rats out of their hole! Whatever they are doing, with their private army and plan to gather these rare plants and chemicals together, they need stopping! Now, either you take me along when you go after them, assuming you do, or..."

She smiled, smug, and crossed her arms. "You make your own way to Egypt. How good is your swimming?"

Admin wrote:If so, you'll always be welcome so long as you stick up for the common ma... where did they go?"

Jade wasn't surprised, it was an old trick but still very effective. "Thank you for your time sir, you have been most helpful despite the hour."

Admin wrote: "It wasn't my fault - really - that we were discovered at the Mansion. Plus, it sounds as if we've flushed those rats out of their hole! Whatever they are doing, with their private army and plan to gather these rare plants and chemicals together, they need stopping! Now, either you take me along when you go after them, assuming you do, or..."

She smiled, smug, and crossed her arms. "You make your own way to Egypt. How good is your swimming?"

Jade Hood, smiled despite himself. In truth Mary had been a real liability. Had things gone better there was always a danger that she would have caused more harm simply by the fact she needed so much help. Jade Hood, smile gone then lent in and said, "And perhaps if you'd stayed outside Mei Lin, might not need so much help now. No?" Softening somewhat, Jade Hood turned to his partner with a sigh and said, "Friend these clothes will not weather the water for too long, I think we have...how you say, 'Ourselves over a barrel?'

OOC:
ok looks like Mary is taking us to Egypt if we're going to nip this in the bud before it gets out of hand!

Sj

"Well, I guess I can find another job when we get back," Stone Fist said reluctantly, knowing how scarce jobs were in this day and age but needing to stop these men over anything else, even if it meant going to Egypt to do so.

"You won't be able to get onto a plane wearing those hoods you know. And I'll need to contact someone about papers for you both. Luckily i know just the person." grinned Mary. "Mr Hood and Mr Stone, I think! Meet here tomorrow, 10am. I know the times of all the charter flights and we'll just have enough time to get your papers sorted out and a taxi to the airfield to jump on the plane. I also have to paperwork to falsify at the museum..."

Dr Meritt rolled his eyes then hugged Mary "be careful, dear." he offered, then turned to shake the hands of the two masked Vigilantes. "Take care of her. She's like a daughter to me. Now clear off! I need to get my sleep!" he laughed, shaking his head.

OOC whether you simply turn up unmasked, or with some kind of disguise on, is up to you. The heroes have an hour or so to gather anything they might wish to take on a trip to Egypt, and Stone Fist can even use the time to ring in sick, though i suspect in this day and age it won't go down to well, what with hundreds of men waiting to fill in and hopefully secure permanent work. Once I know those few details, we'll have an Indiana Jones style romp through the desert, but of course there'll be one or two hiccups along the way. Alas, Doctor Jones can't accompany you. In 1933 he was on his way to Shanghai according to wikipedia.

Admin wrote:OOC whether you simply turn up unmasked, or with some kind of disguise on, is up to you. The heroes have an hour or so to gather anything they might wish to take on a trip to Egypt, and Stone Fist can even use the time to ring in sick, though i suspect in this day and age it won't go down to well, what with hundreds of men waiting to fill in and hopefully secure permanent work. Once I know those few details, we'll have an Indiana Jones style romp through the desert, but of course there'll be one or two hiccups along the way. Alas, Doctor Jones can't accompany you. In 1933 he was on his way to Shanghai according to wikipedia.

Jade Hood looked at his meagre pile that he called his possessions. He'd already put to one side the few clothes that he owned and his mask and hood. And with a deep sigh, his heart still heavy with thoughts Mei Lin, he placed his possessions back under the floorboard in the small room he shared with his sister. He turned to see the hastily scribbled note he'd left. And then without looking back, leapt out the window, duffle bag strapped to his back as he made his way to Stone Fist's apartment.

OOC:

Ok being as I am unlikely to be so very different from many of my other kin to an American, I've no worries about showing my face. Especially as we've seen Mary can be trusted. So I am good to go.

Sj

Stone Fist called his boss at the warehouse on the waterfront to let him know he had a family emergency and had to go away for awhile. While his boss was sympathetic, there was no way he could hold the job open for as long as Stone Fist thought he would be away but he would keep him in mind if another opening came up later as he was a good hard worker.

Stone Fist had gone to a pharmacy and bought some hair die and changed his hair color to make it look darker. He then didn't bother to shave. He also bought a pair of spectacles with plain glass in them. He hoped that between the new hair color, spectacles and unshaven face, he wouldn't be noticed and recognized by anyone on the "other side". He brought all his meager possessions with him, after paying the rent on his room for another week. He didn't think he would be back in time to renew his rent but let the manager know that anyways, using the same story of a sick relative.

"That's a new look for you." said Mary, with a smile and stroke of Stone Fists' grizzled chin. "Do I call you Stone or do you have another name? As for oh... you're oriental. I had no idea, but I suppose I should have guessed from your height and build." she added. The trio waited on the street outside Doctor Merrits house. Mary was travelling light. Her three suitcases, satchel, handbag, and string carrier bag carrying food for the trip did rather put the duffle bags the other two wore into perspective, much like Mount Everest would to an ant.

The taxi rolled up, and Mary excitedly jabbered about the previous time she'd gone to Egypt on a dig, and how all this cloak and dagger stuff was exciting. The Taxi driver joined Stone Fist and Jade Hood in rolling his eyes.

=========

The Boeing 247D sat gleaming on the runway, excited passengers boarding with smiles on their face

Introduced earlier this year, it was the foremost passenger aircraft in the world, with a top speed of 200mph, cruising speed of 188mph and over 700 mile range. Unfortunately, at a distance of some 5621 miles to Cairo, it would still take 29 hours of flying, several stop offs and even a couple of plane changes before they got there. Settling into his seat, Stone Fist glanced about and slid his Fedora down over his face, leaving Jade Hood sat next to the incessantly chattering Mary.

=========

"Are we there yet?" groaned Mary.

She peeled her face off Jade Hoods shoulder and looked out the window. It was dark and raining outside. Stone Fist woke and squinted, then turned back. "Not even close. Barbados." he grumbled, then settled back. Jade Hood sighed, stretched and stood, doing a small exercise involving stretching. As he did, he noticed the relief pilot and co pilot come aboard. Both were non descript, in uniform. He shrugged as they entered the cabin. No stopoff to stretch the legs then, unless they'd slept through it and the half dozen other passengers had taken the time to stretch theirs.

As he settled back, Jade Hood frowned. The pilot. He'd had a tattoo, partially obscured from the uniform, but it looked like a snake, wrapped around the world. Bizarre.

The plane taxied and took off, having been refueled for the long flight to Cape Verde. This plane carried fewer passengers in order to accommodate extra fuel tanks. "I won't say how much it cost the museum to get us here, but I hope it's not a wild goose chase!" muttered Mary nervously as Barbados shrank in the window and the plane roared off into the night.

Jade Hood settled back whilst Stone Fist wrinkled his nose at one of the now curly sandwiches Mary had brought with her. There was something about that tatoo though...

Admin wrote:Jade Hood settled back whilst Stone Fist wrinkled his nose at one of the now curly sandwiches Mary had brought with her. There was something about that tatoo though...

Jade took time to relax his body and his mind. He knew that searching for the answer wasn't going to help unless he was in a fit state of mind to retrieve the segment of memory and or information that clearly had been triggered when he saw the image. That in itself was a clue, the tattoo sent an alarm because at some point he'd seen it before. But what and where and with whom?

He didn't want to say anything more to Stone Fist until he was sure he had something he could point to. But now he was on alert and as soon as he got the memory back, he'd have something to say to Stone Fist also.

OOC:
Ok so what do I know about the tattoo? And besides that tattoo has anything so far lead me to believe that the pilot is anything but on the up and up. Moreover what, if anything do I observe with the other passengers? I'll have been taking detailed inventory of anything whilst I've been flying - stretching my mind not just my body.

As soon as I've got something worth sharing with Stone Fist I will do.

Sj