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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 2:38:23 GMT
"Damn it." Hammett turns and looks at the team, "They have done something to the trumps. I can't tell what. I can make the connection and go through, but I have no idea what might happen. Could be some sort of warning system that they've figure out. We could find ourselves in an ambush or a trap, or maybe unable to return."
He thinks a second, "I'm going to go through on my own first and scout it out. If it is a trap, I have a better chance of escaping on my own and that's better then all of us being caught. if it's nothing, I'll trump and bring you all through to me."
He goes to Conrad, "You have my trump, so if I'm not back in an hour, try and reach me and pull me out. If that doesn't work, take the door back to Ceridin and sit tight until you hear from me."
He pulls out one of his extra trump decks and shuffles out some of the Kasaba, Wormwood's and Carcosa trumps he has and give them to his loyal assistant and friend, "And if you don't hear from me in a few days all of you will have to determine what you are willing to do next. Head for home if you can, and those of you that can't, you can stay at my places in Ceridin for as long as you need. Money from the shipping business will keep coming in for years to come with little oversight beyond what Conrad here does to keep the doors open. That'll be more then enough to see you through."
He grabs a few extra clips for his rifle off of Pinky, and smiles at her, "You keep everyone safe, alright?"
With that he focuses on the original Wormwood's office trump and steps through.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 2:45:44 GMT
#s://i~ibb~co/SXpkXBr/Pinky~jpg "No way, boss, I'm coming with you," Pinky says rushing forward with a hand extended to grab Hammett but she is a fraction of a second too late and he is gone. "Ah, nutz," Hammett hears echoing through the Trump as he steps. He steps....he steps...
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 2:53:33 GMT
...and after the feeling of electricity running through his body, he steps into the Wormeoods' office. Or at least a Wormwoods' office. Something in the place doesn't feel quite right; not just the broken windows, furniture tossed and broken, the Casablanca fan pulled from its screws and dangling from the ceiling by its cord, or the thick smoke-stench fog that fills the space. There is something different about this shadow now, or he has come to a different place altogether.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 3:12:40 GMT
Hammett gets his bearings and then crouches down listening intently for any sounds that might let him know if danger is near.
If he doesn't hear anything close by he'll make his way over to what might be his old desk. He looks it over trying to find any random distinguishing marks that would let him know if this was actually the right shadow or some near copy. Anything that looks familiar but wouldn't be on a shadow version. An old coffee stain, cigarette burn or a distinctive scratch he made by accident one day.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 3:32:38 GMT
It is the desk he remembers with all the stains, scratches, and gouges from long use. But, of course, now it is missing one leg and pitches to the side with a few new scars from a bottle of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay which someone has smashed across it. The label and shards still stick to the wood.
Hammett hears an unremembered faint whistling noise coming from the basement. Somewhere in the distance is the sound of gunfire.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 4:00:45 GMT
Alright. So this was the right shadow, just someone or something must be messing with it. Changing the rules maybe or otherwise altering it somehow. It crossed his mind that it might be similar to what the Fire Man who messed with the shadows where his Wormwood's doors were had been doing, but maybe on a much larger scale.
He pulls out his trump for Conrad and tries to make a connection.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 4:04:33 GMT
There is still the interference but the connection is made.
"Ya ready for us, boss?" he asks while lighting a cigar.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 4:19:42 GMT
"Yes, there is difficulty, but everything seems to be working."
He keeps the connection open as everyone comes through, with Conrad coming last.
"Okay, here's the plan. Conrad and a couple of my staff will stay here and fortify the building, keeping an eye out and be ready for us to exfil. If we come back hot with someone on our trail, they will be ready to hold them off with suppressive fire. The rest of us, you know the plan. Fan out in your groups to the different sectors. Avoid contact with the enemy if possible, and if not possible, try and keep it quiet. Make your observations, if you come across any potential allies, make discrete contact. We all meet back here in two hours. If this place fails, fall back to the secondary hideout by the docks. Keep radio chatter to the minimum unless necessary or you are in trouble. Everyone good?"
Hammett's personal unit is himself, Renault, Pinky and another of his staff, Emil who used to run the roulette wheel at the old Wormwood's.
They head out, their destination, the area around the old police station. Last time Hammett had seen it is was on fire, but maybe they had rebuilt it by now. If they had, it might be one of the more dangerous areas if the German's were using it, which is why he wanted to go himself.
The teams all set off into the night.
They don't mind the fog too much, as their advanced night vision gear should still give them the advantage over any locals.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 4:28:55 GMT
"Ah, zeeis is de action we've been looking for, no?" Pinky asks, trying out her new accent.
Less than a block from Wormwoods' is a large blackened area from an explosion of some sort of battle. Working through the city, they come across other similar areas but between them, the city looks the same as always, if a bit more vandalized than before. Small groups of German soldiers patrol about but can easily be avoided in the fog.
The police station is still a wreck and is deserted.
Oddly, they see none of the locals about while they crossed Kasaba.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 4:37:09 GMT
Hammett's team does a quick patrol of the area, including looking in local shops and residences to see if they find any signs of civilians, or any other clues as to where the German forces might be setting up shop.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 4:41:04 GMT
The shops are all closed. Feeble light from behind curtains indicates that most of the houses are still occupied.
Where the Germans are based, there isn't a clue. However from down the street comes the sound of soldiers marching and the grind of a half-track approaching Hammett and crew.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 4:45:54 GMT
Hammett's team takes to cover away from the street and watches from a distance, seeing what the German's are doing, and where they might be heading.
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Post by Admin on Jun 17, 2021 22:57:50 GMT
The group continues past them then turns at the next intersection and continues towards the docks.
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Post by Hammett on Jun 17, 2021 23:51:42 GMT
As Hammett's team watches them go he gets on the radio, "Large group of German soldiers and a half-track, turning down--" He gives the street name, "And heading toward the docks." The other teams now warned Hammett confers with his team.
"Suggestions as to where the German troops might have set up base?" He looks to Renault, "You were held by them for a time. Anything you can remember?"
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Post by Admin on Jun 18, 2021 3:38:20 GMT
"I don't remember much. They come for you at night and beat and bind you before driving around town then toss you in a detention centre." Renault says. "We could try the old armoury. Probably still the best defensive position in town if they'd upgraded the place."
There is a crackle and hiss on the radio then the voice of one of the crew.
"Boss, we might a' hooked a basket of fish," Carlos says.
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