<@Brett> [Date: The day before Alysha and Co. arrived in Turkey. Time: 11:30 a.m. Location: Stockholm, Sweden, in the section of Strandvägen.] <@Brett> [Aren't commercial airlines a pain? Between delays and flight cancellations due to a sudden storm in the North Sea, Nigel and Montana weren't able to leave for Sweden until the following day. By the time they go to their destination, it was already almost noon.] <@Brett> [Their destination, it turned out, was Strandvägen, one of the most prestigious boulevards in the city. Following along the bay, it's a long street filled with mainly townhouses. Though at first glance they may not be as impressive as mansions, they no doubt cost about as much.] <@Brett> [They arrive at one particular townhouse about three blocks from Bünsow House, where Tilda is supposed to live. Does she? Let's find out!] <@Brett> [Start] * Montana looks the townhouse over, taking in every possible entrance and exit, and any security precautions that he can see. * Nigel is armed with his usual weaponry, just in case. He nods towards the townhouse. He'll let Montana go ahead and lead the way, since this is his acquaintence. 2d6+8 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+8 for Montana and gets a natural 7 for a result of 15. <@Brett> [The townhouse is three stories (plus an attic) high. There's no bars on the windows, because, hey, this isn't New York.] * Montana rubs at his chin, giving the townhouse another once over, then... just walks up to the front door and buzzes/rings the doorbell. He also tips his hat to the camera. <@Brett> [No immediate response!] * Montana shifts his weight. "Wonder if I shoulda brought flowers," he says to Nigel. * Nigel shrugs. "Couldn't have hurt." Then why didn't you suggest it? There was a flower shop in the airport! * Nigel shakes his head. "I didn't say I thought of it, did I? Besides, it has been a while since I've been on a date. It's not as if I think of these things either now, is it?" * Nigel knocks on the door again. * Montana looks at Nigel and gives an eyebrow raise that might make his brother proud. "Things with Shiho not working out?" * Nigel tilts his head, genuinely confused. "Things with Shiho?" Thought you were an item. Forget I mentioned it. * Nigel shakes his head. "Huh? No... I mean... I don't think so... Did she say something about that? I mean we've been out a few times, but those weren't dates, were they?" Now he seems more confused. He shakes his head. "Maybe we should just walk in." Awww, but I was tryin' ta be friendly. <@Brett> [From inside, someone (a man's voice) yells something in Swedish.] * Nigel shrugs. "We have two options, now don't we? Either she is here and avoding us, in which case, we need to walk in there. Or she's not here, in which case walking in won't matter." (swap those) * Nigel shrugs. "There's an answer. Too bad I don't speak Swedish." (What kind of lock does this door have? Just a standard one?) * Montana frowns and just tries to open the door. <@Brett> ( Yep ) (Though if this is a safehouse for Tilda it's probably deadbolted if locked...) <@Brett> [There's another yell in Swedish (one that sounds particularly frustrated), and the door is opened. A fairly good-looking man stands behind, dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt that says "Hard Rock Cafe" on it. He says something again. In Swedish!] Yeah, good afternoon. I was wonderin': do you speak English? * Montana tries to get a glance around him, to see who he was yelling at. 2d6+6 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+6 for Montana and gets a natural 9 for a result of 15. * Nigel speaks up and changes languages as he names them "" <@Brett> [Behind him, Montana sees a ritzy room with a chandlier, lots of nice art, and some statues. There's a staircase behind him, too, and Montana sees a young blond girl, about six years old, staring down at him. She's clutching a Kirby plushie to her chest. "Yes, I speak English. You American? The Bünsow House is further down the street."] Yeeeeah, but actually, I'm here lookin' for a friend. You wouldn't know her, would you? Tilda? I was in the area... <@Brett> [He raises an eyebrow. "What do you want with my sister?"] * Montana smiles. "Just to chat and return something." He holds up both hands, unarmed, see? (Ha.) "She around?" 2d6+8 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+8 for Montana and gets a natural 3 for a result of 11. (Ew, let's DR that because.) 2d6+8 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+8 for Montana and gets a natural 5 for a result of 13. (Not amazingly better, but at least not SAD.) <@Brett> ["No. But you can give it to me and I'll see that she gets it."] I'll wait for her, then, or if y'could tell me how to reach her...? (Does he look like he's lying?) <@Brett> ( Nope. ) <@Brett> ( I mean, Gimme a look like he's lying roll! ) <@Brett> ( I mean... nope. ) <@Brett> [He rubs his face. "Fine. Fine, you can come in. Just don't.... don't make a mess of things. She should be back soon anyway."] <@Brett> [He opens the door a bit and turns about. It's only now that he notices the girl upstairs, and calls up to her. In Swedish! She retreats further into the upstairs corridor.] * Montana smiles. "Thank you kindly." He tips his hat and heads in, looking around for an inoffensive place to wait, and also mentally cataloguing how much various items are worth and how easy it would be to borrow them. (Dad just called. Dre's talking to him.) <@Brett> ( orzzzzz. Should we wait? ) (Probably best. :/) (Back, but now Arwen is talking to him) <@Brett> ( orzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ) (And then I was talking to my mom!) (But I'm done now.) <@Brett> ( Yay ) * Nigel walks in behind Montana. "I suppose we'll wait for her then, yeah?" <@Brett> [The guy leads you to the lounge next door, absently turning on the ginormous TV. Seems soccer is on. There's some comfy sofas to sit on around it, which the dude gestures to while heading towards the kitchen. "Can I get you some tea?"] * Nigel shakes his head. "No thank you." <@Brett> ( Wha? I thought you were British now :X ) (They are in a strange place with criminals. He's not drinking tea unless he makes it) Sure, appreciate it. (Look, I'm more British than you.) (And more reckless) (What make you think I'm going to DRINK the tea?) (See? Wasting perfectly good tea. Definitely not British) <@Brett> [He heads into the kitchen, which is in full view of the lounge. He periodically looks in whilst the tea brews. He then returns shortly, handing Montana a cup and keeping one for himself. "So who are you, exactly? What do a Brit and an American want with Tilda?"] * Nigel shrugs. "My name is Nigel Winthrop. I am an Egyptologist and a history professor at Cambridge." * Montana takes the cup and stirs it absently. "I'm Montana. He's my half brother." He tilts his head towards Nigel. "Tilda's an old friend of mine; we ran into her a few months back, and I wanted to return somethin' she dropped, plus catch up on a coupla things." (and an history professor*) <@Brett> ["An old friend from where? She never mentioned knowing any Americans."] * Montana grins. "Around." <@Brett> [The man scowls. "Around, huh?"] Sure. I just worked with her a few times, is all. <@Brett> ["Yeah. I think I got a pretty good idea who you are now." He rises to his feet. "You're Amalia's father, aren't you? Well, I don't know what made you decide to come back to her after all these years, but she doesn't want to see you. Now, I think you should leave."] * Montana blinks, then laughs. "God damn, *really*? No." * Nigel shakes his head. "Besides, if that were the case, why would -I- be here?" Wouldn't really be the kind of family reunion I'd want to arrange, even if she were my family! * Montana pauses a moment, then asks, "I take it Amelia was the little girl at the top of the stairs?" (Amalia!) <@Brett> [He laughs at Nigel. "After finding out about her inheritance? Why WOULDN'T you be here with your 'half-brother'"] * Nigel clears his throat. "I am wearing a tailored Armani suit... " He just leaves it at that. Yeeeeah, this is all new news to me. <@Brett> ["And I say again, she never mentioned knowing a professor of Egyptology or an American.... What did you say you do, again?"] * Montana raises an eyebrow. "I dunno, what does your sister do?" <@Brett> [He frowns at Montana again. "You said you worked with her before, yet you don't know? ... I think you should leave. Before I call the police."] Seriously, what's your sister do for a living? I promise *I* won't call the police. <@Brett> ["She's a jewel-cutter. One of the best in the world. Which you'd know, if even half of your story was true. Now, I'll give you one last chance. Leave, or else..." He pulls a cell phone from his pocket, giving Montana a threatening look.] 2d6+4 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+4 for Montana and gets a natural 4 for a result of 8. (DR2) 2d6+4 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+4 for Montana and gets a natural 3 for a result of 7. (And 3, I guess.) 2d6+4 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+4 for Montana and gets a natural 5 for a result of 9. * Nigel sighs. "Your sister has recently acquired a very very rare egyptian artifact. I would be very very useful to her. I highly recommend you allow us to stay, because this artifact is no normal item and could be very dangerous." <@Brett> ["Why? It's got some sort of disease or something? Or no, let me guess: It's very rare and valuable and tons of people are after it, and the only place it will be safe is in Cambridge University, right?" He sighs. "Why don't you just admit you're a pair of conmen? It's so obvious." He shakes his head and lifts his cell phone. "I'm calling the police." And yet...] <@Brett> [Before he can, the door opens, and Tilda walks in. She's wearing a nice looking (but not too fancy) white dress and carrying fancier black one on a hanger, that looks like it just got back from the dry cleaners. She's talking in Swedish as she enters, but stops in her place when she sees you two.] * Nigel smiles. "Good day, miss." * Montana sets down his tea, stands, and grins. "Tilda! Nice to see you again. We were just chattin' with your brother here." <@Brett> [The man is standing with his cellphone in hand, staring dumbfounded at the two. Tilda manages to recover a bit better, saying in English, "Yes. Nice to see you, again too. Quite a surprise, actually. To see you. Here. Of all places."] Right? But we were in the area, and I needed to drop something off for you and apologize, by the way - the way our last meeting left off was *really*- * Montana winces. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm really sorry." He pushes up the back of his hat and scratches at the back of his head. "Anyway, just... had to let you know about that, can we talk?" <@Brett> [Her brother (who never introduced himself!) stutters in Swedish, and Tilda says, "Karl, will you check on Amalia? I want to talk to our guests."] <@Brett> [Karl looks back and forth between the two of you before heading upstairs, still looking confused. Tilda waits until he's out of earshot before putting a hand over her abdomen. "Yes, I remember how our last meeting went. Did you come to finish the job?"] * Montana rolls his eyes. "Don't be stupid; you know I don't do that if I can help it. Here." He reaches under his coat and pulls out Tilda's hairbrush, tossing it to her. <@Brett> ( Tilda's English accent is quite a bit better than Karl's. If anyone's wondering! ) (So unsurprised!) <@Brett> [Tilda catches it with ease, glancing at it. "Ah. I'd thought as much."] * Montana shrugs, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Your brother thought I was Amalia's father." (Why are we here again? We're here to get the bracelet? Or find out about it, or something?) <@Brett> [She snickers at that. "That's funny. What did you say to him?"] (Bracelet. Montana stole it for a guy, at one point, then Tilda stole it from him, and that's where the trail ends.) (She may have been working for someone; maybe not.) <@Brett> ( You were sent here to retreive the bracelet, which Tilda once stole from the guy Montana stole it FOR.] ) (Right. Okay) <@Brett> ( Whether or not she has it is in question. ) I laughed and told him that made no sense, because really... and then we heard about her inheritance from him... * Montana shakes his head. "Honestly, Tilda, you gotta keep him from doing that." <@Brett> ["Yes, well, he doesn't know better. It makes it harder for someone to track my family down and use them against me." She looks at Montana and Nigel pointedly. <@Brett> ] * Nigel shrugs. "We had no intentions of doing that. And I track down ancient relics for a living. Tracking you down was not difficult in comparison."] <@Brett> ["So it would seem. So what errand does that bratty teenager have you running that requires you to be in Sweden?"] *Any*way, we really came to talk about a bracelet. Y'might remember it, since it's got these unusual green stones. I acquired it for this guy in Spain, and you acquired it from him. Any idea where it might be now? <@Brett> [Tilda snickers. "Oh yes. I remember. I actually watched you hand it to him, you know."] * Montana grins. "I'm sure you did. Don't mind much; I got paid. His job to keep security." <@Brett> [Tilda taps her cheek. "Well, I might know where it is..."] * Montana waits for Tilda to go on. <@Brett> [Tilda waits for Montana to go on, too!] * Nigel sighs. "And might you want to share that information?" <@Brett> ["I might. That depends."] On what, exactly? * Nigel shakes his head. "I am really tired of dealing with you types. I almost prefer cultists. At least they don't need all this double-talk. I just walk in and shoot a crossbow bolt through their head." <@Brett> [Tilda hangs her dress on a nearby coat rack and pulls out her phone. "There's a gala at the Drottningholm palace tonight. A lot of wealthy people from around the world will be there..." She pulls out a picture of a young woman not much older than Alysha. "Including Denmark's Princess Isabella and her famous rose-jewel necklace."] <@Brett> [She grins a very Alysha-like grin. "And it just so happens I could use a competent date."] * Montana jerks his thumb at Nigel. "He knows how to dance," he says automatically." (-") * Montana uses his other hand to take the picture, though, if Tilda's close enough. * Nigel shrugs. "On the other hand... I have a conscience... could get in the way." <@Brett> [Montana gets the picture. Princess Isabella is quite an attractive lady. Her rose necklace features small rubies carved in the shape of blooming roses, and a particularly large oval ruby in the middle.] * Montana whistles. "*Really* nice. Borderline priceless." <@Brett> [Tilda nods. "Isn't it just?"] * Montana looks up from the picture to Tilda. "So what's the terms?" <@Brett> ["I should think it'd be obvious: The necklace for the bracelet."] Even trade, then? I'm assumin' you already got a basic plan for something this big. <@Brett> [Tilda nods. "I had something in mind. Of course, now that I have a team..."] * Montana grins. "Don't gotta ask me twice." He looks at Nigel, the one with a 'conscience'. * Nigel shrugs. "Tell me what you want me to do, and I'll let you know. You should also be aware that we are not the only ones after this bracelet. There is a very dangerous group after it as well... And if we found you, they can too." Other thing is, I'd like ta see this bracelet before we start the job. Just to make sure you have it. <@Brett> [Tilda smirks. "Do I look like I was born yesterday? You shot me, Montana. I'm not about to trust you enough to let you see the thing in advance."] * Nigel shrugs. "Let me see it." <@Brett> [Tilda laughs. "No. You'll get it once I have the Rose-Jewel Necklace. Not before."] * Montana frowns. "Yeah, and you were tryin' to shoot *me*, so as far as I'm concerned that makes us about even." * Nigel hands her his phone. "A picture, then. Take a picture with my mobile just to prove you have it." <@Brett> [Tilda nods. "Fine. In the meantime, you can go find yourselves some nice clothes."] * Nigel raises an eyebrow. "I'll assume you were talking to Montana." Nah, this is black tie. Get a tuxedo, you slob. 2d6+11 * Dicesuke rolls 2d6+11 for Nigel and gets a natural 9 for a result of 20. * Nigel shrugs. "I can get a tuxedo, but we don't exactly have time to get one tailored, now do we?" * Montana looks at Tilda. "Got anyone you recommend? I ain't too familiar with the area." <@Brett> ["Paul's. 3 blocks away. The finest clothes money can buy. Trust me."] <@Brett> ( Also we can end whenever. ) * Nigel shrugs. "As you say." He stands up and heads for the door. (You want to end hereish? It's getting pretty late over here and I have to get up early enough to put on my costume tomorrow before work.) <@Brett> [End here we do!]