Chapter Two, Part TwelveFire one round at "K" in the chest, and proceed to fire another 2 rounds at the thugs.
Standing proudly like a gentleman in the middle of the street,
“G” takes aim at the fleeing scoundrel “K”, unleashing a round into his back [3+1]. Unfortunately the shot is not quite true, and it hits the running man’s left arm, lightly wounding him and sending him sprawling to the ground. He is knocked unconscious! “G” squeezes the trigger to fire another two rounds at the thugs taking cover behind the car; one misses, flying wildly over the men [2+1], prompting one relieved feeling cad to stand up to take aim at “G” just as he fires the second round. “G” expertly adjusts his shot to take on this new target popping up: the shot flies straight and true right into the thug’s head [6+1]! He is struck down! There is mess!
Use walking bat stick to block bullets on the way to cover (and be refreshed here if it's only for one roll) , find a stone, and play attack cricket-style with it. Target the car to the East.
Furious at the mess, the three remaining thugs rise to their feet and fire their revolvers as one, unleashing round after round at
Winston Smith, who has dashed in front of “G”, both to save his life and to find some cover.
Amidst a hail of a dozen or more deadly projectiles, Smith deflects every bullet with his walking
bat stick, sending several of them ricocheting back towards the car and the waiting thugs [5+1 refreshment bonus+1 skill bonus]. The three of them duck, but one of them has slower reactions than the others – he is hit in the chest! He is struck down!
Searching about the floor near the doorway in which he is taking cover, Smith finds a small stone [2+1 lasting refreshment bonus]. He uses his walking
bat stick to launch it towards the remaining two thugs cowering behind the car; he only manages to hit the car and cause a resounding bang, which keeps their heads down but achieves little else [2+1 skill bonus].
Skill Improved! You have gained a little more expertise in the art of walking bat stick bullet deflection!throw the explosive pocketwatch at the thugs.
McGeenyton, seeing the situation clearly under control to the east, decides to resolve the issue of the thugs and automobile to the western end of the street, and takes his pocketwatch out of the pocket of his waistcoat. Checking the time one last time, he hurls it in the direction of the car, where it lands in the front seat [4]. Enough time passes for the hiding thugs to realise what has just happened, and to shake their heads at the eccentric Englishman launching timepieces at them; and then the explosive pocketwatch explodes. A flash of flame flies into the air; a miniature shock wave shoots out in a circle, and milliseconds later the car follows suit, jumping into the air several feet before falling back down with a crash.
As the car burns, the single thug lying on the floor beside it comes to, only to see the horrific sight of his three mangled and erstwhile companions. He takes aim at McGeenyton, but is clearly in too bad a state to be an effective thug [3-1]. He passes out from the pain!
Item Lost! Explosive pocketwatch.
To the west there is one burning car and one suppressed and unconscious thug. McGeenyton is facing his direction about 20-25 metres away.
To the east there is one bullet riddled and dented car, two suppressed thugs, and one unconscious and wounded “K”. Smith is in cover in a door way to the left hand side of the alley (i.e. north), and “G” is standing in the middle.
… … … … … …
Less than a mile away, five hundred feet of hulking Zeppelin drift slowly but surely across the city of Geneva, blocking out the sun for the astounded populace in the streets below. They are to bear witness to one of the first great feats of aerial maneuvering; their grandchildren shall hear of the day when a monstrous airship glided between the city’s spires, floated down the grand avenues, and halted before the most luxurious hotel in the country.
I guess wait politely until Wellington decides where to take the zeppelin, admire the view of the city.
Von Fersen is doing his best to admire the view of the pleasant lakeside city and the surrounding countryside [3]; he waits politely until he can descend. When a mastercraftsman is at work, it is best not to interfere with his concentration, he remarks sagely to himself.
Position zeppelin over hotel roof, release ladder, and politely climb down, tipping my hat towards anyone confused at the roof.
"G'day sirs."
And, in the business of crafting a fine descent in a stolen dirigible, it would seem that there is no master more masterful than
Mr William Wellington, the proud Englishman. Spotting the famous Hotel Masson, hotel for the aristocratic visitor to Geneva for decades, Wellington navigates his airship along the avenue below, deftly turning the wheel in his wicker basket to come to a halt above the hotel roof [4]. He calls down to one of the porters standing agape at the front door, and requests that he hold the ladder steady as he releases it and watches it unfurl to the ground.
As he politely climbs down, tipping his hat to several onlookers [6], he tethers the Zeppelin to an adjacent chimney stack for safe keeping, before continuing on his way. He gets off the ladder in front of the bemused porter holding it steady – he has clearly never seen such a thing, and can barely comprehend the eccentric ways of this most gentlemanly and English of gentlemen. Word of this incredible event will surely spread throughout the city’s polite salons like wildfire! Wellington tips the porter and walks into the hotel.
“I say. I have a room reserved. The name’s Wellington. William Wellington.”
Gentlemanliness Increased! Eccentric and spectacular entrance!
Behind him, rather less gentlemannerly and less sure on his feet, follow von Fersen [2], and Mr Link [4], in their turn climbing down, tipping the porter, and introducing themselves at the hotel’s desk.
Gentlemanliness Increased! Eccentric entrance!
Gentlemanliness Increased! Eccentric entrance!
As Wellington and von Fersen are shown to their rooms to refresh themselves and decide how to go about the rest of their mission,
Link excuses himself.
Link attempts to infiltrate and overtake the Genevian criminal underworld!
“I say. One is just off to try to infiltrate the local criminal underworld. I have an inkling that certain contacts could prove useful in the continued pursuit of our objectives…”
… … … … … …
Sometime later that morning, a character that none but the closest observer would recognise as the disguised gentleman spy John Link, enters a seedy and disreputable café on the eastern outskirts of Geneva. He is, indeed, the spitting image of some form of dishonourable cad! Sidling up to the café owner, he introduces himself in perfect German.
“I say. I mean bonjour. My name is Johannes Linkschmitt. I have… some information that may be of interest to… certain people. Some information that could be exceedingly valuable.”
… … … … … …
And so it came to pass that John Link, gentleman spy, within hours of his airborne arrival in Geneva, was sitting drinking tea with Bombastus Muller, self-proclaimed leader of the Genevian underworld. On either side of Muller sit his two deputies dressed in black; on either side of Link sit his two newly acquired Swiss bodyguards, armed with halberds and rapiers.
“So, Mr Linkschmitt. You have things you want to discuss?”
I actually rolled a [6], but I didn’t think it would be realistic for Link to wander off on his own and come back in one turn with the support of the entire Geneva criminal underworld (and I didn’t really have time to write an entire sub-chapter of Link’s criminal adventures).
Wellington and von Fersen are in their hotel rooms, ready to plan their next move or whatever else. Link is off having tea. Remember, the mission is to get the contents of a locker at Geneva Central Station before the Germans do. It is a little after breakfast time.
Author
Topic: Roll to Be a Gentleman Spy - Chapter Three Part Twenty One. (Read 75015 times)