Babes in London: Act Two, Scene Two (At the Park)

SCENE TWO: AT THE PARK

If the PCs go to the park, read (or paraphrase) the following:

The park is not as empty as you might expect for this time of day. From the footpath across the street, you can see three main groups. The girl with the dog is there. She looks like she’s playing fetch with the monster, sitting on the edge of the round-a-bout and throwing a bright blue bone the size of your forearm. Whenever the dog grabs it, the bone gives out this ear-splitting shriek that’s got to be driving everyone in earshot crazy. The limo’s back, parked at the kerb on the opposite side of the park. The couple in it are drinking coffee and reading their papers. They occasionally look up, keeping tabs on what’s going on in the park.

Investigating the People in the Limo: If the PCs have already met the Gehenna Consortium, this is where they can renew their contact. If they haven’t here is a chance for them to get involved.

(i)                 A New Gehenna Consortium Contact: If the PCs approach the car and they have not yet contacted the Gehenna Consortium, Alice (see previously) pretends not to see them until they tap on the outside of her window. Read of paraphrase the following:

With what might be an exasperated frown, the auburn-haired lady cracks her window. “Can I help you?” she asks, and you notice the tones of aristocracy in her voice.
 

Alice has brown eyes, if the PCs want to know. She asks the PCs to explain what they want. If the PCs ask about the girls, she pretends suspicion and demands to know what their interest is in the children. If the PCs state that they are interested in the girls’ welfare, she explains that her company is also interested in the girls and their families, claiming that they are part of a routine investigation for the Brontina Mining Company’s Human Resources Department. It seems that Trevor Andrews, Leyila’s father, has applied to do some engineering work in Australia for them. (This is a half-truth. If PCs are suspicious of Alice’s explanation, they can make an Earth – Interaction/Trickery; test to oppose Alice’s Air – Trickery test. Alice has made a stance change based on her Trickery score so her aspects are currently: F1, W1, A7, E3. She is at her most persuasive, and the mook driving the car is ready to drive her out of trouble: F2, W5, A2, E2.)

If the PCs seem amenable, or if one of them is a private investigator, Alice states that she has the authority to hire extra personnel if she needs them and, seeing as they are likely to get under each other’s feet if they work against each other, would the PCs consider continuing their investigations and being paid for it? If the PCs agree, she can offer them £100/day each for them to continue the search for the missing girls and report back to her. If the PCs accept her offer, they gain the status of ‘Friends of the Consortium’. If they decline, they have attracted the Consortium’s attention and come under increasingly close scrutiny as the adventure progresses. Alice also warns them away from the girl with the dog, saying: “We know all about them; they’re not friends. Don’t have anything to do with them.”.

(ii)               Renewing a Gehenna Consortium Contact: The PCs recognize the car from their previous encounter with the Gehenna Consortium. If they have been told to meet a Consortium contact at the park, this is one of their options. As they are already ‘Friends of the Consortium’, Alice explains that the terms of their hire have changed to match the circumstances. The PCs are now tasked with finding out what happened to the girls and retrieving them if possible. She also warns them to stay away from the girl and the dog, saying: “We know all about them; they’re not friends. Don’t have anything to do with them.” If the PCs are already involved with LN7, and Alice discovers this, she terminates their contract immediately. (PCs also later discover that their accounts have been cleared out and that the bank is reluctant to reopen them, or to admit it ever had any dealings with them. The bank’s reaction is so extreme that persistent PCs will find themselves escorted from the premises by security, although they will find their accounts restored 24 hours later.)

Investigating the Guy with the Dog: If the PCs have already met the LN7 operatives, this is where they can renew their contact. If they haven’t, here is a chance for them to get involved.

(i)                 Making a New LN7 Contact: If the PCs have not yet met LN7, they may wish to try and approach the girl with the dog. She asks them what they are doing in the park. “Could be bad for you, you know? Put you on the wrong side of a police investigation, with these two little girls gone.” If the PCs reveal their interest in the girls, the operative gives his name as Maria Ambersides. She uses the same cover story as Alice, claiming to be a Human Resources investigator for the Brontina Mining Company. In her case it is the truth; her work for LN7 relies on her being able to travel all over the world in the course of her work for Brontina. She also offers to hire them to continue the investigations for £100/day each and warns them away from the Gehenna Consortium limo, saying: “It belongs to the Gehenna Consortium. They’ve got all sorts of shady deals going. Been known to mess with the black arts. A very bad bunch”. If they accept her offer, they gain the status of ‘Friends of LN7’.

(ii)               Renewing an LN7 Contact: The PCs recognize the dog, if not the agent, who is wearing yet another dolphin t-shirt. As they approach, the dog curls up at its master’s feet and chews the blue plastic bone, causing it to squeal in protest. A nudge from the toe of its owner makes it stop so that they can speak. The agent explains that the terms of their hire have changed now that the girls have gone missing. The PCs are now tasked with finding out what happened to the girls and retrieving them if possible. He also indicates the limo and tells PCs to stay away from it, saying: “It belongs to the Gehenna Consortium. They’ve got all sorts of shady deals going. Been known to mess with the black arts. A very bad bunch.” If the PCs reveal dealings with the Consortium, the operative asks them to terminate these dealings and suggests a quiet meeting later to discuss alternative employment. The PCs are now being watched by other operatives and if they continue dealing with the Consortium, they will be designated ‘containment required’.

 Speaking with the Police: If the PCs approach the police, they find themselves being questioned about their interest and involvement with the girls from the day before. By this stage, the PCs should have visited the police station. Weave the results of their chat at the station here. The police can offer no further insights based on their investigations of the park and do not answer questions regarding the people in the limo or coffee shop. They absolutely will not speak of the girl with the dog and advise PCs to steer well clear of all the other groups in, or near, the park. If PCs possess a business card from the chief investigator, the officer in the park suggests they start their investigations at the girls’ homes.