Gazette I

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April 20, 1894

On a fine day in the POWERS office, one Arthur Saywell strolls in looking rather displeased. Savage pours him a drink and invites him to share his woes. Apparently, his daughter Clare has been kidnapped! By "some Indian blokes" he says.

As a result, Sophia lays out Tarot cards and goes to read them. Saywell's goal is to see his daughter's safety, and in the distant past there were... indiscretions. Also, recent past is desire for money. Future involves... movement. For... the daughter? Environment is where goods come and go - possibly... foreign? Final result is a complete reversal. Could be good or bad.

Arthur thinks he might know a general district that might have the possible Indian warehouse. Sophia sends Agape to check, then asks about the aforementioned past indiscretions. Nothing new from him. Cliff suggests talking to Claire's chaperon. Fei Hung reads something untrustworthy on Arthur's face and mentally alerts Cliff and Sophia to that, meanwhile bringing Milton's attention to the conversation.

The four of us travel to Arthur's residence to have a chat with Joanne. She seems disheveled, lying on a swooning couch with a bruise forming on her face. Arthur excuses himself to do business and research into this problem. Joanne is probably 40s/50s, and looks like she came directly here after the encounter. Cliff asks the first question:

  • "What do you remember from this event?"
  • "It was those Indian thugs. I tried to stop them... Claire! They overpowered me. Three of... Five of them!"
  • "Any distinguishing marks?"
  • "They were those Indian types."
  • "Could you smell hashish?"
  • "Not sure what that smells of. I didn't smell anything too peculiar on them."
  • "Where were you when this happened?"
  • etc... I'm not a dictator - dictationist - secretary.

They were shopping (near the foreign quarter), as per normal schedule. Also, the fourth man had a white beard instead of the usual brown. Some had swords. Claire had a rag to her face and swooned - no blood letting. Cliff suggests going to the scene so he can try to find a trail.

Joanne's guess on where it happened turned out to be a couple blocks off, but the shopkeepers sent us to the location of the kurfuffle. Cliff picks up the track, and it does in fact lead the group towards the Indian area. Sophia goes blank for a moment, as Agape shows her the warehouse itself. Lots of people. Sophia lets people know this, and takes off for "smelling salts" - but really turns into a cat to meet up with Agape.

An Indian man strongly warns Cliff (and friends) against going anywhere near the warehouse of Thugees, but Cliff assures him (in Hindi) that it is exactly where they want to go.

Sophia reaches the warehouse and starts prowling with Agape. The three people outside the warehouse have pistols. Uh-oh. The cats enter the warehouse (quiet as a... mouse) through a side door. The warehouse is rather large, with stacked boxes and pulleys and the like. The cats (with their love of high places) get up on high places. They notice Claire, protected by the aforementioned older gent. They also see four red-clad guys with swords, an orange-clad guy with a gun, and a four-armed guy with four... blade-ish weapons. Claire leaves Agape, and seeks out the guys.

The guys are strolling towards the warehouse when a black cat runs up to them and pops up into Sophia! Fei Hung merely raises an eyebrow. Milton doesn't even notice. Cliff surmises this might be gypsy magic? Sophia excuses her lie about the smelling salts and quickly fills in the group about the people inside. From where we're standing, the doors are slightly open, though we can't see inside. Sophia excuses herself to communicate with Agape - as it turns out there is tea in the boxes.

Milton has an idea that involves a crate, a pulley, a spring, and the scaffolding. The gentlemen start to approach the warehouse, to which the guards move their hands to their... weapons. Cliff tries to scare up the guards, to little avail. They say we could speak with Easwar if we want the girl, and, uh, let us in.

As we enter, the older guy (white with flecks of gray in beard) with a turban says in perfect English:

  • "Gentlemen, what can I do for you?"
  • "Why did you steal Claire?"
  • "I have just been righting a wrong."
  • "Explain."
  • "Mr. Saywell has been encroaching on my business for quite some time, including taking over and stealing one of my establishments. This girl here is merely a marker until he returns what is mine."
  • "What did he take?"
  • "He took my opium house. Using some of the more... interesting legal intrigues of you British."
  • "Now, you know who I am, and I don't want to hurt you. He wronged you, I understand that. Taking his daughter is not the right method. I can assure you the opium house in return for his daughter. Now. I am a man of my word, and a gentlemen."
  • "Just like every British gentlemen. You take and take."
  • "My reputation is stronger than that. You know this."
  • "As an imperialist. I see Saywell has sent his goons to finish this."
  • "Let me make you an offer."
  • "I'm listening."
  • "What can I do to assure you your opium house back?"
  • "What all you British people like - a contract."
  • "If your lawyer would like to draft the contract, here, now, I would like to read it full. I've known too many lawyers. You say you know Saywell well - do you know his business?"
  • "The person, not the business."
  • "He prances around as a gentleman while conducting quite illegal business."
  • "I'm happy to take this to him, take up this conversation about his business practices. I'm sure he'll be quick about his daughter."
  • "I need the contract in one hour's time."
  • "Easily done. With his signature."

Easwar Mathyala signs the contract written up mostly by Milton (the lawyer, for reals) with Cliff's help. We take the contract to the Saywells', where it takes 15 minutes for the butler to retrieve Arthur. Arthur is guarded about his business. Cliff suggests that Fei Hung read through his mind, which results in finding that he's certainly involved with shady deals, but we can't get anything specific about Easwar.

In the end, it seems Arthur's been lying the whole time, but he'll sign the contract. He's coming with us to see Claire, under guide of Cliff's strong hands. On the way over, Sophia cats out again and notices British people milling around the warehouse. The men enter through the front with Saywell. Easwar speaks first.

  • "Ah, Mr. Saywell, so good to see you again. I'm interested to know, was the contract acceptable."
  • "It was. Signed and witnessed by Jeeves." (Brindaban Ramaswamy witnessed Easwar's signature)
  • "Will one of you bring it to me?"

Fei Hung takes the contract up, and is given Claire to take back to Saywell. During this, he hears people outside, letting the rest know mentally. Saywell asks to take Claire home and is told no, that there are people outside. The thugs pull out their weapons and Aswear gets pissed.

  • "You Brits are storming this building now!?"
  • Cliff: "Aswear, I've been upright and forthcoming this entire time?"
  • "As far as I know, you've been in on it the entire time!"
  • "If that were the case, I would not be protecting you now."

And the bunch of people outside bust open the doors! Milton Leaps over and grabs Easwar, as Cliff does the same with Saywell. Ramaswamy goes after Milton with his many blades of ouch. And doesn't make ouch. Claire runs!

Fei Hung retrieves a guy's gun, then Sophia teeks a bunch of crates down on some gangsters. Saywell... doesn't escape. His shoulder breaks instead. Two of the goons fire at Ramaswamy, one missing, the other's bullet gets cut in half. At the front, the goons fire, taking out a thug. The thugs fire at the goons, also taking out a goon. One of the thugs goes after Fei Hung. Ha. The other one attacks Arthur, but Cliff sweeps the strike aside.

Easwar tries to get away, but fails. Milton picks up Easwar and uses him as a weapon against Ramaswamy, knocking both men out! Cliff brings Saywell over to the dogpile as Fei Hung pulls a sword out of someone's hand and leaps over to the big door, clinging to the wall above. More crates mysteriously fall near thugs and goons!

The thugs and goons fight among themselves, except the one who shoots Fei Hung. Ouch. Milton steps away from Cliff's hostages and goes after a thug - whammo! Cliff tries to "persuades" Arthur to call off his men. He simply... doesn't respond. Fei Hung fires off Hadokens at three goons, then Sophia lets loose eight tigers. That... pretty well ends it. After reviving Easwar, we make sure the contract is happy, the turf war is over, and that Arthur is out of POWERS. Oh, and that we had nothing to do with making this fight happen. Both agree as long as the other keeps their word. A truce.

Mission accomplished. Er, not really a mission. More like a personal favor gone wrong.

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