Sleuth Home - Message Boards - Role Playing Stage

Jul-6-2015 11:19

New York, 1938
St. Regis Hotel
Rooftop Nightclub

"So there I was, staring down a barrel INCHES from death...and I told the man, 'darling REALLY, if you simply must shoot me do allow me to remove my earrings. They are Cartier, you know." Molly Maltese paused to take a sip of her Red Snapper, popping the olive neatly between her cherub lips before gnashing it to a pulp. "And the man was quite flummoxed, he said- I say, is that Riza Hawkeye?"

She rose, the group of rapt men in tuxedos and women in glittering dresses and furs murmuring their protests as she wended through their knees. But the apparition she was quite sure had been Riza Hawkeye had vanished in the crowd of New York socialites populating the exclusive terrace.

"Well, this place is a bit ritzy for Riza." she murmured, fairly certain her old acquaintance didn't make a habit of populating social-climbing fetes. And she reasoned, any time Riza had appeared before it was hardly ever for a pleasant cause. Well, maybe that was unfair. It just seemed she was more the swirl-of-furs-and-stiletto-daggers type than a frothy socializer like Molly herself.

Peering around, Molly saw nothing but the shadowed faces of revelers partially cloaked in the smoky haze. She had just been about to give up and go back to her companions when the most shocking hubbub began. Over on the north part of the terrace, she could distinctly hear the shouts of men and panicked screeching of females. Moving forward, she could just make out..

"Did you see... The Ambassador... who could have... murder! Someone has pushed the Ambassador off the building!" Molly picked up speed, expertly weaving through the crowd of panicked voices. Sirens already began to sound twenty stories below. Just as she grasped the ledge and looked over, an all too familiar voice sounded in her left ear.

"Oh hello there, old friend. Lovely breeze out today."

Before her stood Riza Hawkeye herself, looking utterly unruffled as several ladies fainted behind her.

Jul-31-2015 04:11

*** Late afternoon, Cairo ***

As the plane landed, and moved towards the hangar, she looked out of the window. She could already see Hassan waiting at his car, an old fancy Rolls Royce that he borrowed from another contact. "Probably an underworld figure" Vulkie murmered to herself, and she rolled her eyes. Hassan always wanted to make sure that she felt comfortable, when she was in Cairo.

As the detectives exited the plane and waited for their luggage to be unloaded, Hassan sped his way towards the detectives. "Miss Nouson - how good to see you. I have been waiting here for at least an hour. How was your flight?" Hassan asked, while shaking Vulkie's hand. "It was fine Hassan, we had no issues whatsoever. May I introduce you to a couple of friends of mine?" Vulkie replied.

"Of course, of course. Any friend of you is a friend of mine" Hassan said, and took a bow.

"This is Mr. Marc Lacrimosa" Vulkie said, nodding her head to the left side. Hassan shook Marc's hand. "And this is Miss Riza Hawkeye" Vulkie said, nodding her head to the right side. While Riza gave Hassan an investigating stare, she ultimately caved in and let him shake her hand, albeit she wasn't too pleasured by the gesture.

"And this" Vulkie began, but was rudely interrupted by Molly: "I must insist darlings, that I have to prep myself for whatever we have to do today. I mean, being cramped up in an airplane for at least 5 hours doesn't do anything good to a lady such as I. Molly Maltese, what a pleasure to meet you." Molly said, while initiating the handshake herself. Hassan, surprised by this, took her hand and shook it. "No, no, Miss Maltese, the pleasure is all mine." he replied.

"Hassan, now that we have met eachother, I do agree with Miss Maltese. We could use a place where we can freshen up and relax a bit, and that could also serve as our base of operations." Vulkie said.

"Just follow me to the car, detectives. I have just the place for you." Hassan said.

*Cont in next post ***

Jul-31-2015 04:19

Hassan quickly began to speak in Arabic and while Vulkie tried to understand, she never took the time to learn it properly. But by Hassan's gestures, she could see that he instructed the luggage to be loaded into the Rolls Royce. As the luggage was loaded, Vulkie took place in th front next to Hassan, while the others took place in the back of the car.

"My word Vulkie - you do know how to get around." Molly said, while staring at the back of Vulkie's posture. As Vulkie turned her head, she looked at Molly and replied: "But of course I know how to get around. I didn't spend all these years traveling the world just because I want to see a bit of it. I also wanted to have an intensive network who could keep me informed of certain... business aspects" Vulkie said, grinning a bit as she reminded herself of her time as a jewelry thief.

It took at least 40 minutes until they reached the safehouse. As Hassan unloaded the luggage, the detectives took a look at their new headquarters. "There is a bedroom for each of you, and also a bathroom. If so needed, you can always ring me up if something is needed. Food, drinks, guns, ammunition - you name it, and I can get it in the hour!" Hassan said.

As each of the detectives took care of their luggage and stored it in their room, they met up 10 minutes later in the main dining room with Hassan.

"Hassan, there's a couple of things we need. First, we need a map of Cairo" Riza said, taking charge of the conversation. Hassan went towards the living room, rummaged a bit in a dresser, and returned back to the detectives with a map.

"Here you are Miss Hawkeye. I've already been so good as to mark the location of your headquarters here in Cairo" Hassan said, while laying out the map.

"Molly, would you be so friendly as to mark the social spots for the town? We might need to drop by one or two of them, to gather information" Vulkie said, while looking at Molly.

***Cont in next post***

Jul-31-2015 04:30

As Molly was going through her mind, she marked at least five different places. "These are the places with the, somewhat, higher clientele. We can surely find some information that we would need for our investigation." Molly said, while looking over the map and verifying that she had noted the right places.

"Good work Molly" Marc said. "By the way, I'm not sure if we had told Vulkie yet..." Marc began, while Vulkie interrupted: "Told me what?" Vulkie asked, thinking of many things all together what they might've withheld from her.

"We haven't shown you exactly what we found yet, right?" Marc said, while Riza and Molly stared at eachother. They had been so preoccupied, that they hadn't even gone over the evidence with her.

As Molly reached in her pocket, she lay two things on the dinner table. A note which the killer left behind and that led Riza and Molly to meet up with Marc at the brothel, and a button, that had a rose emblem on it, shaped in the letter S.

"My word... I believe I have heard about such a button before." Hassan said, looking at the detectives. As the detectives looked at eachother and then at Hassan, their curiosity took the upper hand.

"Where have you heard about such a button Hassan?" Riza asked, still glaring at him. Everyone waited in anticipation as Hassan began his story. "I believe there was a murder case here, a month or two ago. Now, I don't know the finer details, but I do know that the local police had found a button such as that. I believe it had a sunflower emblem on it, but I am not 100 percent sure about that" Hassan said. "What I do know, is that the victim, a Mr. Qadir Ben Siri, was found at this spot" Hassan said, marking the spot on the map, "and that it was quite gruesome. The details, I don't recall exactly, but involved something about..." Hassan said, while Riza cut him off.

"Ok, so we now have at least three different things we can do..." Riza began (will end in next post)

Jul-31-2015 04:34

"We can either go towards the crime scene and look it over one more time, ask around a bit." Riza said, pointing at the crime scene marked on the map.

"Or we could go towards the social spots and ask around about Mr. Qadir Ben Siri. I'm sure that some people will... divulge us in why he could've been a target" Molly said, pointing at the five social spots she had marked.

"Or, we could go towards City Hall and dig up some information about this Mr. Qadir Ben Siri." Marc and Vulkie said simultaneously.

"Don't forget about the button detectives. It's probably in the evidence locker at the local police station, over here" Hassan said, marking the map.

As the detectives looked at eachother, they had to make sure that they knew where to go next...

Aug-1-2015 11:15

If there was ever one way to describe Cairo, it was hot. Too hot. Delhi wasn't any better. Marc had been to both places many times in the past, and wasn't fond of either place. But, nevertheless, a case is a case, and when it comes to solving crimes with those around him, he cherished it. Marc looked Hassan in the eyes. Something didn't sit right with him, and Marc hoped it was nothing. He was Vulkie's friend, and an important person at the moment.

Marc had been quick to jump on going to the Hall of Records. Research was a favorite. "I need your help," he told Riza. And they left Molly and Vulkie before anyone could object. They hailed a taxi and headed straight for City Hall.

"I should have mixed feelings about seeing you," Riza said. "And so should Molly after you left us for dead. " She turned and looked at him. "But mostly, I'm glad."

Marc nodded. "I am too," he said.

A short time later they were in the Hall of Records digging through files on Qadir Ben Siri. Which almost turned fruitless.

"Marc!" Riza exclaimed, " look at this!" Marc hurried over to her to see what she found. She showed him the file and what he read he couldn't believe.

Qadir Ben Siri had been part of a secret order called Sphinx , an order that had been rumored to take part in political assassinations. Marc picked up another paper. Ben Siri was a political figure he wasn't an ambassador. Was his death an inside job? His penis was cut off too. "Interesting," Marc said to himself.

Riza picked up a picture. It showed Qadir standing with several other men. Each men had a rose button on the breast of their suit, each button had an S on them. Standing with next to him was another man. Oddly enough, that man looked like Vulkie's contact, Hassan. "God," Marc said, "Riza, you don't think Vulkie knows, do you?"

Aug-1-2015 11:33

"No," Riza said, "things like this are kept hush hush."

Still not a good thing. Hassan would have to act like he knows nothing to keep himself covered and keep anyone suspect him off his trail. Marc and Riza searched more and found Hassan's address.

They walked outside and up to the first car they found. "I need your car," Marc said grabbing the driver and throwing him out. Riza got in the passenger seat and they drove off.

**Hassan's apartment**

Marc and Riza walked instead with each other, side by side. He flexed his wrist and the small gun appeared in the palm of his hand as Riza pulled out her gun.
"No need to knock," Marc said, knowing Hassan had not returned. In one quick motion he kicked in the door. No one was home. Good. Marc and Riza searched his bedroom. They found rose button. Marc closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

Footsteps entered in the living room where Marc kicked in the door. Marc turned and faced him.

"Ho-"

He was cut short as Riza hit him in the head, knocking him unconscious. They drug him back outside and put him in the back seat and Marc once again started driving.

"I know a place off the grid we can go."

Riza pulled out a mason jar full of chunky fluid. She looked at Marc and smiled an almost evil grin. "Lets have some fun," she said.

"How did you get that?" Marc asked with a disgusted look on his face.

"You don't wanna know."

Aug-1-2015 11:33

"No," Riza said, "things like this are kept hush hush."

Still not a good thing. Hassan would have to act like he knows nothing to keep himself covered and keep anyone suspect him off his trail. Marc and Riza searched more and found Hassan's address.

They walked outside and up to the first car they found. "I need your car," Marc said grabbing the driver and throwing him out. Riza got in the passenger seat and they drove off.

**Hassan's apartment**

Marc and Riza walked instead with each other, side by side. He flexed his wrist and the small gun appeared in the palm of his hand as Riza pulled out her gun.
"No need to knock," Marc said, knowing Hassan had not returned. In one quick motion he kicked in the door. No one was home. Good. Marc and Riza searched his bedroom. They found rose button. Marc closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

Footsteps entered in the living room where Marc kicked in the door. Marc turned and faced him.

"Ho-"

He was cut short as Riza hit him in the head, knocking him unconscious. They drug him back outside and put him in the back seat and Marc once again started driving.

"I know a place off the grid we can go."

Riza pulled out a mason jar full of chunky fluid. She looked at Marc and smiled an almost evil grin. "Lets have some fun," she said.

"How did you get that?" Marc asked with a disgusted look on his face.

"You don't wanna know."

Aug-1-2015 11:33

"No," Riza said, "things like this are kept hush hush."

Still not a good thing. Hassan would have to act like he knows nothing to keep himself covered and keep anyone suspect him off his trail. Marc and Riza searched more and found Hassan's address.

They walked outside and up to the first car they found. "I need your car," Marc said grabbing the driver and throwing him out. Riza got in the passenger seat and they drove off.

**Hassan's apartment**

Marc and Riza walked instead with each other, side by side. He flexed his wrist and the small gun appeared in the palm of his hand as Riza pulled out her gun.
"No need to knock," Marc said, knowing Hassan had not returned. In one quick motion he kicked in the door. No one was home. Good. Marc and Riza searched his bedroom. They found rose button. Marc closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

Footsteps entered in the living room where Marc kicked in the door. Marc turned and faced him.

"Ho-"

He was cut short as Riza hit him in the head, knocking him unconscious. They drug him back outside and put him in the back seat and Marc once again started driving.

"I know a place off the grid we can go."

Riza pulled out a mason jar full of chunky fluid. She looked at Marc and smiled an almost evil grin. "Lets have some fun," she said.

"How did you get that?" Marc asked with a disgusted look on his face.

"You don't wanna know."

Aug-1-2015 11:35

*Unknown Location*

"I think that should be good," Riza said as she tugged at the metal fastenings. She stood up to admire the beauty of the contraption. All four of the man's limbs were clamped down to the chair, his hands and feet entirely immobile.

"Wake up," Marc said, slapping the man across the face. He showed no sign of stirring.

"Wake up!" Riza yelled as she poured freezing water on Hassan's face. He jumped awake and cursed.

"Wh-where am I?" He asked nervously, trying to look around dark room. The only light in the room came from a dim lightbulb the hung directly above his head.

"It doesn't matter where you are," Marc said calmly. "We have questions, and you have the answers that we need."

"Political figures are being targeted and having their penises cut off. Why?"

"I don't--"

"You do know!" Riza snapped, as she walked around his chair.

"This was found at a crime scene in New York," Marc said, as he showed him the button with the rose emblem. "It just so happens, that you too happen to have the same button."

Hassan's eyes widened and a look of panic appeared in his face. "Oh God," he muttered. He looked at the two shadowed figures. "You don't know who you're dealing with," he sputtered.

"Then tell us," Riza said.

"I can't!" he cried "They'll kill me--"

THUD!

A knife stuck into the chair, mere centimeters from the man's penis. "That'll be sweet relief compared to what's about to happen to you," Riza said.

From behind her back, Riza produced a thick leather whip. She pulled it taut and, with a sudden movement, cracked it against the side of the man's face. He let out a piercing scream. She repeated the action three more times, creating furious red welts across his face. The smell of leather and fresh blood permeated the tiny room.

"Ready to talk?" Marc asked as the man struggled against his restraints.

"Fuck you!" the man yelled, spitting at Marc. It landed on his jacket.

Aug-1-2015 11:36

Marc furrowed his brow. "I just had that cleaned." Marc socked the man in the stomach several times, causing him to double up (as far as he could) and start coughing violently. For good measure, Marc also gave Hassan a clip to the temple.

Marc walked behind the man and pulled a lever on the man's chair. The back of the chair tilted backwards. Marc grabbed a towel and held it tightly over his face as Riza dumped a bucket of water on the rag, the man screaming and cracking under the water.

When the bucket was empty, Marc raised the chair back up. "You ready to talk yet?"

"Go to hell. I swore an oath!"

Marc pulled out a knife and stabbed Hassan through his hand, impaling it to the arm of the chair he was strapped to.

"Aaaaggghhhh!"

"Last chance," Riza taunted in a singsong voice.

"Screw you, bitch!" he hollered.

"My, my, what a guttermouth you have," Riza replied, squishing the man's cheeks between her thumb and forefinger. "It seems only fair that you're treated like a gutter as well, don't you think?"

"That's it. We're done talking," Marc said, glancing at Riza who produced a rather large mason jar full of chunky liquid.

"The hot Cairo sun sure does wonders for this baby," she said wickedly as she turned the jar in her hand.

Marc grabbed Hassan by his hat and jerked his head backwards with one hand, and shoved a rather large funnel into his mouth, down into his throat.

When Riza opened the jar, the foul smell of vomit immediately filled the room, even causing Marc to gag. She dumped the contents into a metal trash bin and toed it towards Marc. "If you wouldn't mind." Riza turned around.

Marc unzipped his fly and emptied his bladder into the vomit-filled bin. "There we go," he said.

Riza lifted the bin and poured its contents into the funnel as Hassan screamed. The scream turned into gurgling, and he started shaking violently trying to free himself.