Use hidden knife on... Something small and dangerous in the garage. Also feed animals once more if we still have time.
You don't need to feed, you're 9/10 at the moment. But arming yourself would be sensible.
“I'll be ready to go in a minute, just give me a minute.” you tell them. Earl nods, eying you suspiciously as you duck through the door into the garage. You look over the old workbench. There's a number of tools here, and the adjustable crescent wrench looks like the most likely weapon. An experimental heft shows that it has quite a lot of weight to it.
You use your powers to conceal it on your person. Normally, it would be pretty obvious sticking out of your coat pocket, but nobody should notice it now.
“All right.” Hyde says to you, quietly.
“Showtime?”“Yep. Showtime.”
I think we will be okay with this guy. Let's accompany him into town, using nudge to extract information on some of his morally dubious activities on the drive. Also be sure to nudge him into a comfortable state of compliance should he attempt to attack us in any way.
In any case, don't push for information too hard. His activities are none of our concern.
You step back into the house, lean into the living room where the three of them are watching T.V.
“Mr and Mrs Ives? Is it all right if I keep the clothing you've given me?”
“Oh, of course.” Mrs. Ives tells you. “They don't fit anyone who lives here any more. You need them. Keep them.”
“All right, thank you very much. Earl, are you ready to go?”
Earl nods and stands up, looking a little perturbed. Your hidden sense detect an odd bulge. He has a weapon hidden on his person. Not like you do – he's just crammed it in the inside of his jacket. Hyde smirks. That makes things more interesting.
“Stay out of trouble.” Mr. Ives tells you. “Good luck.”
“I'll do my best. Thanks again.”
You walk over and shake their hands, turn to where Earl is waiting, and walk out of the house with him.
Out on the front porch, you see there's a little snow coming down. You step out onto the front walk and take a look around. Earl is not observant enough to notice your breath doesn't fog.
“Nice night.” you say.
“Yeah.” Earl says, pulling a snubby 38. revolver on you. “Sure is. What the fuck are you doing out here?”
You spread your hands.
“Relaaaaax.” you tell him.
“I'm not up to anything bad. You can trust me.”
“Oh.” Earl says. He looks doubtful, but he stops pointing his gun at you, scratches his temple with the barrel of the gun. “Sorry about that...but, uh, are you really just some guy? I mean...”
“Yep. Just the way it is. Accidental collision, that's all.”
“Phew. I was worried for a minute. You don't look like a cop, but you got that strung out look to you. You know, no offense, but you look like you use, ya know?”
“Eh. I've had a rough month, that's all.”
“Oh...” Earl puts his gun away and looks a little blank.
“You gonna drive me in to Fawcett?” you ask.
“Oh, uh, yeah, sure.” he says. “No problem.”
Earl drives a grubby dark blue pickup truck with a plow mounted on the front. It smells of body odor, cheap cigarettes and stale beer, but at least it's getting you where you want to go. You get in and buckle up in the passenger seat, and Earl gets in and starts the engine up.
“You should put on your seat belt, Earl.”
“Nah, I don't need it.” he says.
“...Okay, if you say so.”
Earl backs the truck up, does a three point turn to aim it down the road, and then you're off, driving through the country. Through the trees, past a series of cow fields, the odd building sticking out of the snow. The light dusting of snow coming down makes Earl flick on the windshield wipers.
“So, I'm just curious. Why are you friends with the Ives?” you ask Earl.
“Oh, them? Well, they've lived there basically forever. My grandparents knew em'. They're pretty straight laced, trusting kinda people, you know?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Anyways, I came by one night to see if I could rip anything off, but they were awake. I made up some bullshit story about being lost, and they gave me dinner. They're a little senile, ya know?”
“Go on.”
“Well, they gave me run of the place. But they didn't have anything real good I could pawn or whatever. But I found this loose set of tiles in the bathroom, so I use it as a stash.”
“A stash?”
“Yeah, I got a buddy, he's a cook not far from their place. We hide the crystal in their house – figure nobody will look there, since they're such straight laced nice old folks, ya know? Jordan makes the shit, I distribute.”
“Oookay then.”
“Shit, why am I telling you this? Look, just forget I told you that, all right?”
“Sure, no prob. I won't tell a soul.”
Earl shakes his head, looking confused. Then he flicks the radio on. There's a tense news broadcast going.
“...beneath city hall. A gas main explosion is the suspected cause of the fire, which the Juno fire department have bravely contained. The mayor and several members of the city council are among those still missing...”
The radio's a little disturbing, and you comment as much. “Huh. That sounds bad.”
“Yeah, I was watching on the news.” Earl comments. “Buncha gas lines blew up over in Juno. Big mess.”
“That's a shame.”
Earl turns the radio to quiet country music and turns on to a plowed highway, a road sign telling you that Fawcett is only a few miles. The roads are mostly deserted. An emergency vehicle passes you by in a hurry. The truck lights illuminate the falling snow. The glow of the city is on the horizon.
“Is that a plane?” you ask Earl.
“Is what?” says Earl.
“That, there.” you say, pointing to the red dot in the night sky. It's too high up to be a blinker on a power line, but it's not moving fast enough to be an airplane, now that you think of it.
“What are you pointing at?”
“That red light, there.” you tell him.
“I don't see it.”
“Ooh.” you say. “Huh.”
But it's hanging in the sky, quite clearly. A tiny, bright red dot. Maybe a star.
Ten minutes later, you pull into the edge of Fawcett. “Where are we going?” Earl asks.
What now? >_
Clothes: Dress shirt, t-shirt beneath that, briefs, pants, socks, work boots, wool coat, toque.
Adjustable crescent wrench (Bashing weapon/tool)
Blood: 9/10
Heightened Senses (Passive) – Sharper hearing, sense of smell, kinesthetic awareness.
Hidden Knife – Conceal up to three small items on your person. Free.
Hidden Person - Reach into the minds of others, convince them you aren't there. 1 blood to activate, no maintenance cost.
Nudge Will – Make someone cooperative or uncooperative. Subtle. 1 Blood to use.
Author
Topic: (SG) Please Drink Responsibly. (Read 12740 times)