David shook his head back and forth groggily, his eyes open but unseeing as he tried to feel anything beyond throb of agony that seemed to be attempted to bit its way out of his skull.
"Stupid... Careless... Dead." He slurred softly from between clenched teeth as he worked up force of will required to raise his eyes high enough to stare at something besides the legs of the chair beneath him.
A strong voice tsked in irritation at David's faint words.
"Lenore, be a dear and gag him. The echo is... bothersome." Something moved behind David and a slim but surprisingly strong hand squeezed David's shoulder, an oddly comforting gesture given the apparent circumstance. A moment later the hand receded, returning with a thick loop of dark cloth.
"Hey... drinks fir- ghm" David tried to say as the person behind him threaded the gag through his teeth and tied it off behind his head. Growling unintelligibly through the gag David finally worked up the effort to raise his head and look around, wincing as the light stabbed needles through his throbbing mind.
The room was a nice office, desk, lamp, endless piles of paper and ledgers, lot of wood and warm colors. All in all it was a very well decorated place to wake up after having your head smashed into a wall. The man sitting behind the desk however was more in keeping with what he'd been expecting, relaxed, thin, and wearing a mask shaped after the greek face of tragedy. David shifted slightly in the chair, wincing as he had to turn his head to look back at the woman behind him.
"'h'ith." David cursed incomprehensibly at 'Angie' through his gag. He'd been willing to help her as far as he could, not a lot of people willing to risk the Trades even that far, and this was his payment? No good deed goes unpunished...
"Mr. Hadjem, if you're done attempting to insult my staff I believe we have business to discuss." The masked man said, drawing David's attention back to him and the polished desk.
"I've left you unbound and have even left your gun in its holster as a gesture of good faith, probably necessary considering the way that my dear secretary brought you in." The voice conveys a good natured demeanor, something utterly at odds with the twisted face of tears that the speaker wears.
David grunted through his gag again, not exactly like his options were broad at this moment. He could listen to the man in the mask or shoot his way out, and considering that the first didn't obviate the second he could stand staying put until he had a better option.
The man in the mask laughed suddenly, a rich laugh that was made strange by its lack of instigation.
"Have it your way, it won't matter really." he said as he managed to contain his chuckles.
"Lenore has informed me that you have a way with people, something that you have unfortunately used to dig in the wrong place with." The man sighed and clicked his fingers on the table in an even tempo.
"The woman you are looking for was killed because she had become a danger. Recovering her body and-or finding proof that she killed Mr. Gregor will be impossible and highly inadvisable for you to attempt." The man stopped suddenly and stared at one of the papers on his desk, taking a moment to scrawl a note on the corner before continuing.
"Normally I'd kill you even for trying, but considering your rather unique skills and Lenore's recommendation I have something else in mind." David felt his muscles tensing involuntarily as his body prepared to run, being told that the only reason this man had decided not to kill him was because of the recommendation of a woman who had only just recently attempted to remove his brain with a wall was somewhat disconcerting.
The sobbing mask nodded as David tensed.
"It is an interesting quandary isn't it?" He shrugged,
"but that is beside the point. What I want you to do is to investigate why the woman you were after killed Mr. Gregor. She was a stable employee of ours, good, beautiful, well-off from her work, no need to steal and no motive to kill that we can find." The man leaned forward at his desk, steepling his fingers.
"Find what made her kill this man and I'll forget that you were ever here and pay your original contract with Mrs. Gregor. So, do we have an accord?" David remained motionless in his chair, he had a feeling this was the kind of offer that you couldn't refuse, or at least shouldn't if you didn't want a free wooden box. He still had his gun though, a rather comforting fact in the present situation...
Location: Office
Status Affects: Concussed
Health: Base 50/50 (25 nonlethal) -Concussion, 10% general skill reduction-
Sanity: Base 45/45
Head: Fedora (No spots), Black Gag (No spots)
Body: Dress shirt (1 V.Small), Trenchcoat (2 medium, 2 small), Concealed Shoulder holster (1 small)
Legs: Black Suspenders (2 Small)
Feet: Black Shoes (No Spots)
L. Hand: Empty
R. Hand: Empty
Other Worn items:
None
Carried Weight: 3/45
Available Spots: 1 V.Small, 2 Medium, both hands
Inv:
Pocket Watch (V.Small pants pocket)
Pen (V.Small coat pocket)
notepad (V.Small coat pocket)
Wallet (Small, pants pocket, contains $30 in small bills)
Colt detective special (6/6, Small, Shoulder holster, 2 pounds)
Loose .38 special rounds (13, small, coat pocket)
The room you're in is well furnished, you're seated in a chair with its back to the door, facing a desk at the end of the room.
Masked man (Unkown, Trade Family) is seated behind the desk.
Lenore (Aka Angie, Trade Family, Unkown) is standing behind you.
There is an exit behind you.
Loose Items
Unsearched, All have owners nearby
Closed containers
Unknown, Multiple, all have owners nearby.
Author
Topic: City of Madness; Arkham. Ch. 1: The Lord of Broken Song (Read 30336 times)