* Maria sits on top of the hotel, glaring at the thoroughly desolate expanse before her, which lacks cover of any sort. * SpiritRei flies up. ~Hi Maria!~ [Maria can see the other side of the island from up here.] Hi, Rei. Can you use your communicator when you're in your spirit form? [And yes, there's a few trees here and there, but for the most part you've got a barren area with tiny rocks and occasional grass patches.] ( Gimme sight checks at +4 ) [Rei sees God! Repent! Repent!] [Maria sees nothing] [Except rocks] [And the occasional building.] * SpiritRei stares. ~Whoa. I must've eaten one too many bagels. Hey, God! I didn't know you existed on the astral plane! Do I have to avert my eyes now?~ [Certainly not the giant five headed tentacle monster rising off the coast of the island.] ( ...how can I NOT see that? ) ( It's giant compared to a monopoly hotel ^^ ) Well, at least this'll be a straightforward mission. Get in, get the orb and whatsisface, get out. ~Yup. We're just reconnosaince, anyway, so it's not like we won't have backup.~ ~Okay, they should be heading out about now. Let's going so we can meet them there.~ ~You got your earpiece, right?~ * SpiritRei flies over to get a good look at Maria's ear(s). Right. * Maria nods and taps her ear. * Maria has her ears concealed at the moment. But there's a bulge there that isn't ear, so she must be wearing the thingie. ~Okay! Mooooove out!~ * Maria leaps from the roof, landing amidst barren rock and making her way, tree to tree, towards the mansion where the happy fun lycanthropic drug dealer lives. * SpiritRei keeps up! Because in astral form, she is fast. * SpiritRei doesn't need to do jumping, though. Bwahaha. [It's fairly easy to approach since there's no street lights to be concerned about. And since Maria is quick (like the wind!) it doesn't take too long to get to the place.] ( Wind ninja Mari-chan. ) (Woosh!) * Maria looks at the place as she's approaching. How many floors? How large? Any interesting architectural notes? [The Kalifornia residence has a Mexican appearance, but seems like it's built like a British or French mannor. It's got two wings connecting at a large foyer. The entrence to the foyer has marble stairs leading up to large glass doors; at the bottoms of the stairs are two sculptures of some old Roman people you probably never heard of.] ( Gimme a sight check ) [There's six windows per floor, per wing.] ~Okay, there's guards in there. Deeeefinitely guards in there.~ * Maria says, quietly, "Of course there are. If you're on an island full of people that really don't like you, you want protection." ( How many floors, Brett? You didn't say. ) ~Yeah. I see two in the foyer. And one on the second floor, left wing.~ ( Two. Sorry, thought I did ) * Maria says, "Then second floor, left wing is where we're going. Where exactly is he? Or is he walking around?" ~Walking around. Away from the foyer. He might just be making his rounds.~ * SpiritRei keeps watching. * Maria nods and hops lightly up to the second floor, clinging to the wall near a window, but not looking in yet. "Rei?" ~Hey, walking into a room! That's something. Yeah?~ * SpiritRei keeps up. ~You should really contact them. We're supposed to make things easier for them, y'know?~ * Maria nods and whispers "The window", before touching the contact on her headset. "Three guards spotted, guys," she whispers. [I should not that there's plenty of light in the manner itself. It's like a hotel room.] * Maria looks over the window while adding, "Two on the lower floor, one on the upper floor, left wing. That's where I'm starting." * SpiritRei pokes her head through the window, along with half her body, looking around. ( Looking over the window: Does it open, like most bayhouse windows do? Does it have a bug screen? ) ( It's glass and opens outwards like a double door. It does not have a bug screen. ) * Maria says quietly, "Rei, anyone in that room?" * SpiritRei goes through all the way, and into the room, looking around. (GM?) ( The window is in the hallway. All the rooms are on one side of the mannor ^^ ) [Rei sees nobody in the hallway.] ~Don't see anyone in the hallway. Guy's probably still in the room, though.~ * Maria opens the windows, slowly. If they start to squeak or creak, she stops and oils the hinges before continuing. [The window opens outward. It's difficult for Maria to open it from the outside.] ( Can I use my ability to cling to walls to gain traction on the window? ^^; ) ( Mmm... Ok ) * Maria places her hands flat on the windowpanes and pulls them outwards. Powers are fun! [The window opens. It's not locked.] * Maria climbs in and closes the window behind her. Uhg, well-lit building. ( Gimme an awareness check. ) [Maria does not spot any obvious surveillance.] ( Even if I did, it doesn't spot me. o/` ) * Maria looks around. What's the hallway like? [Straight. However, between every window there's a bust or a table or a plant or chair or something. [Doors and pictures line the other wall. Specifically five doors.] * SpiritRei looks around. ~Okay, he went into the second to last door from the foyer.~ * Maria nods and whispers. "Okay. Go into the room and create a distraction." * Maria continues, whispering "Then I'll sneak in when his back's turned, knock him out, and he won't be a problem anymore." ~Sure thing, boss! Don't get caught, and I won't, either.~ * SpiritRei zips over to said room and goes on in. Through the door, 'cause who needs to open it? Not her! * Maria grins, though nobody can see it. [There's the guy. He's taking a coffee break, standing near a table and reading a news paper.] * Maria walks quietly up to the door, and puts her ear to it. * SpiritRei pokes her head back out. ~He's just taking a break. Want me to do it anyway? Nod for yes, shake for no.~ * Maria nods her head. * Maria waits for signs of the distraction Rei will create. * SpiritRei looks around, then zips over to the coffee machine. ~You press this button here, then play with this wire over there...~ Soon, the pot's boiling over and looks about ready to explode. [The guy blinks twice and heads over to check.] * Maria waits for either an exclamation from the guy on break, or a signal from Rei. * SpiritRei grabs a cup of warm (not cold, not boiling) water as he heads over and throws the liquid in his face! ( Gimme an attack roll! ) [The guard curses and rubs at his eyes and face.] ~Now, Maria! Maria Maria Maria!~ * Maria silently opens the door and goes into the room. * SpiritRei picks up another cup and dances it in front of the guard. Dancing cup. Dance, dance. Fortunately, it's one of those cheap styrofoam cups. * Maria sees the guy being occupied, and sneaks up behind him, and slugs him hard at the base of his skull. ( Called shot, looking for a quick KO. ) ( Roll it. ) [Thud! He goes down.] ~To the victors goes the victory! Let's see what he's got in his pockets.~ * Maria checks him for valuables. Fancy watch, expensive-looking rings... * Maria whispers, "I'm leaving what's in his pockets. He'll need a credit card to get off the island." [Not really. He's a goon. He's got a cheap $5 watch and a wallet with a $20 and photos of his wife and two kids and family dog.] * SpiritRei sits in the air. ~I think he'll be fine. Aww, what a cute puppy!~ ( A goon with a family? There's a shocker. ) * Maria leaves his stuff, since she doesn't steal from the poor. Then she turns the lights off in the room and heads back into the hallway, and tries the room at the opposite end of the hall from the foyer. ( Or maybe the pictures came with the wallet. ) ( ...yeah, that must be it. ^^ ) * SpiritRei floats along after Maria, looking around for anything that needs disabling. She doesn't comment on how Maria's a Robin Hood, 'cause Maria wouldn't know who Robin Hood is. * Maria also triggers her communicator and mutters, "Goon on top floor down. Checking the place out." [The last room is a fairly small bedroom with a small bed, much like a single's room at a hotel. There's a closet and some drawers, but otherwise it's empty.] ~Huh, looks like it's a guest room.~ * SpiritRei floats around, looking for anything of interest, skimming through the drawers and glancing in the closet. ( Does it look like it's seen much use? ) ( Not recently ) [Rei finds everything empty!] ~Yup, definitely a guest room. Let us continue on our tour of Mr. Kalifornia's mansion, shall we?~ * Maria goes up to the ramaining room on this side of the house, then, still being sneaky. * SpiritRei trails behind her. A spirit trail! [Bathroom!] ( ...this is a really dinky druglord mansion. ^_~; ) ( Wait, two floors. Right. ) * Maria looks around. Still too much light. Light switches? [Maria finds one!] * Maria flips the switch, creating comforting darkness, friend to thieves. [Maria flips the switch. The lights go out in this end of the hallway.] * Maria whispers. "Rei, can you hear me?" * SpiritRei is right next to Maria and 'says' in her normal voice, ~Loud and clear, capitan!~ ( Gimme hearing checks. ) * Maria whispers, "Cut the lights in the hallway across the foyer. And in the foyer, if you can." ( Dicesuke wants us to fail. ) (HE HATES US.) ~Sure thing. But won't that make people suspicious?~ ( Hoooooo boy ) ~Oh, what am I saying! As soon as Lazar comes charging in, that's as suspicious as ever. I'm on it.~ * Maria grins and whispers, "That's the idea." * SpiritRei zips over to the foyer and the hallway, looking for lights. And anything to do with security. [Rei spots a guy coming up the stairs. He's got his hand on his gun, but hasn't drawn it yet.] * SpiritRei 'speaks', loudly. But only Maria can hear her. ~Somebody's coming! He's armed! Make sure you're hidden!~ * Maria goes back into the restroom and hides on the cieling, right behind the doorframe. [Behind him, Rei sees God. Second time tonight. Woo!] * SpiritRei watches. ~Whoa.~ [The man walks down the hallway, slowly and cautiously.] ~Am I supposed to avert my eyes now? 'Cause last time, I think I averted my eyes, and that didn't work out too well.~ * SpiritRei half-averts her eyes! * Maria waits for the man to pass in front of the bathroom, and then leaps out and smacks him on the head! (Again, called shot to KO. ) ( Roll it ) [Wham! Down he goes!] * Maria checks him quickly for valuables. [God calls something. Wait, he's not God, he's the other security guard. He yells something in a language you don't understand, but it sounds like a question.] ( What other guard? He's not in line of sight, is he? ) ( No, he's in the Foyer. ) ( There were two guards in the Foyer, only one went to check. ) * Maria grabs the unconscious guard and drags him into the restroom. * SpiritRei blinks a few times, looks almost embarrassed, then zips around the foyer, looking for the light switch. [The other guard calls again. When he recieves no answer, he draws his gun and starts moving up the stairs. Meantime, Rei finds the switch.] * SpiritRei waits for him to come up. ~Another guard coming, gun drawn. I'll turn off the light when he gets to the center of the foyer. * Maria whispers, "No, don't!" Rei probably doesn't hear her, tho. [The guard gets to the top and stares down the hallway. He calls again.] * SpiritRei doesn't! * SpiritRei waits by the lightswitch. * Maria takes the unconscious guard's hand and thumps it against the floor. Thump, thump, thump. Then she gets up to the cieling again. * SpiritRei looks back at the hallway. ~Okay...~ The wheels of her mind turn. ~Maybe I won't turn off the light after all.~ [He sighs and waits, muttering something under his breath.] [There's a yell from below, and the guard turns to talk with another guard on the bottom floor.] ( ...there's four now? @_@ ) * SpiritRei looks. ~There's more. Let me investigate.~ She zips down to see just how many there are. ( Two that are active. That you know of. ) (I'm going to see!) [There are no more guards in the foyer or in the hallways.] * Maria cues her communicator. "Two guards down, two more left." * SpiritRei flies back up and gives a thumbs up, even though Maria can't see her. ~Only two!~ * Maria scowls, hops down to the floor, and gives the wall a loud kick. * Maria hops up to the ceiling when she's done, and resumes lying in ambush. [The guard on the bottom says something. The guy up top responds with a shrug.] [The first guard goes to investigate. The second starts moving up the stairs.] ~Second guy's coming, if you can't see him.~ * Maria waits for the first one to come in front of the bathroom, then pounceslugs him, immediately going back into the restroom afterwards. (Called shot, this time. For a little something different. ^_~ ) [The first one doesn't get that far. No sooner do they start moving than there's the sound of shattering glass. They cry out in surprise and the first guard immediately runs down the stairs, gun pointed at the windows. The second guy gets his gun out too.] [And you guys roll init too]