Adventure! RPG: Heroes of Our Time - episode 5: Walking in the Valley

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Smiling at Jameson, and John,

"Mystery Men, perhaps?"

Looking at the two Doctors,

"No offense intended."

**OOC - I couldn't either. **

[Surya Lanadhra]

"How did you gain your talents?" Radha asked curiously. "I was born and raised to be extraordinary. Nutrition, education, lifestyle, everything about my life was geared towards making me the peak of human ability."

[Alex Craft]

(later)

As journey wears on, our heroes familiarize themselves with their new member (and vice versa). Radha was called to service with only the slightest knowledge of the trip's purpose (given that King did not trust sensitive information to the post), so no small amount of time is spent discussing the specifics of the mission.

The team sees Kate for much of this conversation, and she seems to be acting perfectly normally - splitting her time between work, discussion of the mission (not something she is much suited to, but part of her duty as the senior K.I.S. officer), and simply the chance to relax on the long trip.

The next major stop is not until the afternoon of the next day, though the train does halt for the night - resting on the tracks to give the passengers a chance to sleep without the rattle and jolt of the moving cars. Radha doesn't have too many problems, though she has to try and stay out of the staff's way, mostly remaining in the team's three compartments.

The night passes uneventfully, and the day dawns with a groaning squeal as the train gets up to steam once more. The morning sees a few brief stops in tiny mining towns, and the day progresses fairly quietly. Come noon, the train is still clattering toward the next real station, and the team is heading down to the dining car for their meal.

Radha is along - it seems that the nearest dining car is used by both first and second class passengers, so she may not have too much trouble. She, Jameson, and Kate are the first to the car, securing a couple of tables for themselves and the rest of the team. As they sit, they spot Jamal Al Najjar (the thin-faced Arab from the previous day) eating alone, reassuring Radha that she shouldn't have any problems here.

The rest of the team wanders in over the course of a few minutes ... Locky and Blaine coming in from a short walk around the train, with John, Janos, and Jozsef all a little delayed back in their compartments.

The dining car is reasonably comfortable, with a single aisle running the middle and a number of long booths lining the sides of the car (the booths being somewhat cramped, but not terribly so). A somewhat awkward waiter blocks much of the aisle as he edges a cart of loaded plates down the length of the car, stopping at intervals to collect dishes or give someone their order.

The remaining three members of the team's party have not yet arrived when (a few tables down), the Arab finishes his meal, stands, and heads for the door - taking up his briefcase from the floor as he leaves the table. Oddly, he's walking toward the first class end of the train, passing the tables appropriated by the team on the way. Noticing Radha and Jameson, he nods politely as he goes by, edging past the waiter and the meal cart on the way.

For some reason, the man strikes both Blaine and Locky as vaguely familiar ... as if they'd seen him before, somewhere. Neither can exactly place him, though, and none of the others at the table seem to recognize him at all. He is a few paces from the end of the car (and the first class passenger compartments beyond) when the door opens on its own, disgorging John and Janos, with Jozsef barely visible behind the other two men.

* * *

Upon entering the car, Janos scans the tables for the rest of the team. He catches sight of them and takes a step forward to clear the doorway for John and Jozsef. In mid-step, he make a double take - his eyes snapping to the fore, momentarily at a loss. Just a few meters in front of him is standing Ayed al-Luqmani.

John catches recognizes Luqmani half a beat after Janos. Their old friend from Cairo looks as surprised to see them as they are to see him - his mouth dropping open and reflexively muttering something in Arabic. It's the same thin, sharp-featured man, this time wearing a slightly shabby business suit and toting a small briefcase.

Luqmani adjusts more quickly than either of our heroes, reacting by abruptly reaching to the side and snatching a handy woman out of her seat - throwing the screaming lady into Janos' arms as her escort curses, trying to get himself up and out of the narrow booth.

Luqmani doesn't hang around to watch, though - instead spinning on his heel and running flat out for the other end of the car, charging directly at the meal cart and its attendant (who looks like a deer trapped in the headlights of an onrushing car).

All at once, Blaine and Locky remember where they last saw the Arab - his picture was in the file on Ayed al-Luqmani they looked through in preparation for the Cairo mission. The ongoing events jog Jameson's memory as well, and he recalls the face a few moments after the others.

[Locky McKenzie]

"Crud, I was hoping for a quiet train ride..."

Locky's mind suddenly snaps into action as he runs down the aisle in the other direction towards the plate trolley.

Narrowly sliding around the legs of the waiter, Locky pushes the cart hard, attempting to jump into the bottom tray as he does so!

[Andrew Murphy]

"Son of a bitch! Ah sorry ladies, just one moment." Jameson grabs the small decorative centerpiece from the table and hurls it with all his might at Luqmani, aiming square for his head.

Unfortunately that is all that Jameson can do at the moment being on the inside to allow Kate a little more room he has no easy way out of the booth.

[Blaine]

"That sunuvabitch..." mumbles Blaine as it finally clicks. He must have been hit too many times in the head not to recognize him. He's about to grab Locky and pull him out of the way, but forgets that his arm is still in the sling. Suddenly Locky is scuttling down the aisle while he's fumbling with the sling.

"Goddmamit!" he snarls and just rips the thing off, his arm was fine anyway. "Locky wait!" he calls and then barrels down the aisle after him, bulldozing any that stand in his way.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos spins the rather startled lady into the booth opposite she came from while not taking his eyes off of Luqami.

"My apologize, Madam," he says quite calmly as he reaches inside his jacket and draws his sword out, sheath and all. That done, he goes racing after the Arab with a devilish grin on his face.

"Jozef. Pistol. Door," he adds.

[Surya Lanadhra]

"What in the name of Vishnu?" Radha asks in astonishment as everyone leaps into action. When she realises that Jamal is the focus of the attack, she rises to her feet and picks up the salt cellar, coolly aiming it for Jamal's head with graceful precision.

[Dr. Mystery]

John whips his cane from his coat, following hard on Janos' tail, his much previously wounded shoulder twitching slightly as his face falls ashen.

"Cease Luqmani, and we will make an effort not to be quite so rough with you"

[Alex Craft]

Luqmani leaves Janos and John in his dust, momentarily tied up as Janos spins the screaming woman aside. Seeing Luqmani coming, Locky slides past the waiter and jumps into the bottom of the cart, sending the cart jerking forward with his momentum.

It bounces down the aisle toward Luqmani, who catches the front edge with his off hand and leaping upwards. Food and dishes go flying in all directions as he lands atop the moving cart, then kicks off - jumping from the top of the cart to the top of the nearest table.

Locky attempts to stop and jump from the cart, but the extra impetus forced on the cart by Luqmani's leap sends it hurtling forward uncontrollably. Janos vaults the cart, landing in the aisle beyond and running on without much trouble. John, however, gets caught full in the midsection - the impact knocking the breath out of him, though he does manage to stop the careening cart.

[1B damage to John]

Almost as an afterthought, Luqmani throws up his briefcase and deflects a well-aimed salt cellar, while the vase and flower arrangement that Jameson pitched at him shatters upon the table, spraying water across the couple seated there. Blaine makes a grab for Luqmani, but he dances away and jumps for the next table top.

He keeps moving - running and leaping across the next couple of tables, then tumbling to the floor and racing for the end of the car. All the way, he shouts apologies back at the people whose meals he somewhat messily disrupts by charging across their tables.

Not far behind Luqmani, Jameson and Radha spill out of their booth. Kate follows suit, but ducks back in (giving way as Blaine and Janos charge after Luqmani). Locky and John can follow too, though they are somewhat delayed as they extricate themselves from the cart.

Kate wonders (possibly to herself, if everyone else has run off): "What's going on?"

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos keeps going full-tilt of the Arab, though he appears to now be last in the pack.

Seeing that Luqmani is not doubling back, Jozef comes up the isle, machine pistol pointing skyward. He helps Dr. Mystery up with an apologetic,

"Docktor Freed-rickson."

Moving up to Kate,

"Fraulein Schafer, he is a man who cause my Master some difficulties in those Arab lands a few months ago."

He also moves to stand between her and the pursuit, apparently deciding that guarding her is his best current course of action.

[Andrew Murphy]

"Kate dear ... umm, I'll be right back ... unfinished buisness ..." Jameson practically falls over himself in his haste to exit the booth. He immediately bursts into motion, his natural speed and agility allowing him to avoid the heads and shoulders of the other passengers now looking to see what all the commotion is about.

Sprinting after Luqmani Jameson yells at the top of his voice, "Stop that man, stop that THIEF!"

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky starts entangling himself from the trolley.

"Sorry Dr. Mystery, I hadn't thought he'd jump over that easily..."

[Dr. Mystery]

"It's alright, Mr. McKenzie, not your fault, although I do suggest we hurry a bit so as to not miss all the fun, eh?"

John pulls himself together, breaking into a run toward Luqmani and the rest of the group.

[Blaine]

"Clear the way! Move 'em or lose 'em!" bellows Blaine as he charges after Luqmani. He pulls out his badge and begins waving it around as he does so. "Private Investigator! Coming through! Freeze Luqmani!"

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky pushes himself out of the trolley, and begins to dash off in pursuit of Luqmani - but not before he walks to the waiters and says "Sorry for the trolley sir..."

[Surya Lanadhra]

"Shiva!" Radha mutters as the saltcellar misses. She resolves inwardly that regardless of what the sahibs think, she is going to wear her tunics and trousers from now on...

She grabs a steak-knife from the table and cuts her skirt into two for ease of movement, ignoring what the sahibs think, and bolts after the men in a full sprint, leaping over whatever obstacles are in the way.

[Alex Craft]

Amidst shouts of anger and screams of shock or fear, everyone scrambles after Luqmani. Radha is the closest to his tail, leaping the back of her booth to avoid tripping over Jameson. She hops and skips first to the next tabletop, then to a seat at that table, then down to the floor - now leading Jameson by quite a bit.

Luqmani is fast as ever, tumbling down from the line of tables and charging headlong for the door, still gaining a little distance on Radha, his closest pursuer. Skidding the last meter or so, he hits the door with his shoulder as his free hand flies to the latch. Before any of our heroes can draw a weapon or reach the door, he is disappearing through the doorway - still clutching his briefcase as the door slams shut behind him.

Jameson and Blaine both race down the aisle, but neither made a very good start. Jameson at least gets the Beginning into his hand, but the door is already shutting behind Luqmani as the Arab moves to the next car. Impatient with Jameson and Blaine's slow start, Janos leaps up to the back of the nearest booth - getting an unsteady start, then regaining his balance and moving forward. Stepping and jumping from table to booth, he passes Blaine and has just about caught up with Jameson when Luqmani escapes the dining car.

Locky extricates himself from the cart and runs to catch up, dodging around the slower Dr. Mystery and running on down the aisle. He catches up with Blaine, and is right on the older man's heels upon Luqmani's departure. John trails behind, relatively unused to this kind of sudden exertion.

[Surya Lanadhra]

Radha opens the door and bursts through, tossing the steak-knife and catching it by the blade, preparing to fling it at the retreating Arab's back. She does so, mustering all of the accuracy she possesses.

[Andrew Murphy]

Bringing the Beginning up Jameson curses as Luqmani slips into the next car. Taking a quick assessment of the situation Jameson almost slips instinctively back into his old military mentality and begins to below orders to the others.

"Rahda, Blaine, Doc keep after him! Janos and Locky follow me, we're going topside. Everybody make sure the devil doesn't double back on us, and be ready for anything have a feeling that he has some tricks up his sleeve we have yet to see."

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos keeps heading for the door.

"Jozef, stay with Kate. Jameson, I'm low."

He swings open the door, but stays low so that the people behind him can fire over his head. He gets ready the dash out and grab the ladder heading up to the railcar's roof.

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky continues running, working to catch up with Jameson.

As he approaches Jameson, he asks quickly "Do I get to find out what we're doing, or should I prepare for a surprise?", smiling as he does so.

[Andrew Murphy]

"Don't you like suprises? I certainly do. Actually I figured Luqmani might try to get topside to avoid us, possibly doubling back and since I'm not about to start shooting down in the traincars ... Besides you and Janos are probably the two I would most trust not to fall off this thing up here .. and catch me if I do!"

Jameson laughs at the last, "Just stick close kid, keep you footing, and if we encounter Luqmani do whatever you can. That's all any of us can ask or do ourselves."

[Dr. Mystery]

John follows hard on Locky's heels, to the best of his ability, merely trying to keep up for the moment.

[Blaine]

Blaine pushes on, toppling waiters and carts that keep seeming to get in his way. Acrobatic he is not.

[Alex Craft]

Radha is the first out the door at the end of the car, bursting out into the space between the cars. As elsewhere on the train, a pair of short platforms connect across the gap, with the door to the next car just a meter or so ahead (and Luqmani already through it). Next to the door is a ladder leading up to the roof of the car.

Leaping forward, Radha jerks open the door and enters the next car as the others begin to spill out of the dining car in turn. Jameson cedes the lead to Janos, who crosses the gap and hurries up the ladder. As he reaches the top, the wind of the train's passing catches him like a hand, exerting a steady, fierce pressure on his back.

He staggers as he rises to his feet on the car's roof, but he gets his balance and makes way for Jameson and Locky to climb up behind him. They stand there for a moment - finding themselves in a vista of rushing desert, with the wind at their backs and the smooth, steel roof shaking and rumbling beneath their feet.

Below, Blaine and John step out of the dining car as well, pausing in the space between the cars. For both of them, rushing to the rooftops wouldn't be the best of thoughts, so they hurry on after Radha - disappearing into the next car as well.

* * *

It's been a while since Winston Holmes came west. The last time was years ago, with Marcus. The tomb of some conquistador - though, honestly, the name escapes Winston.

Winston caught this train at the last minute, so he couldn't be too picky about seating, and he ended up sharing a compartment with a San Francisco businessman and a family of six. At least he got a window seat - he'd remembered that the scenery was nice out here, and that's true enough.

The family is gone (eating, probably), and the businessman is slumped into the corner of his seat, snoring quietly. The guy's a veteran traveller, and Winston knows from the past few days that it take quite a lot to wake the other man ... which is probably why he doesn't even shift the cadence of his snores when a commotion of some sort breaks out somewhere close by.

Clanging doors and clattering feet are underscored by muffled shouts and screams. Glancing over at his oblivious traveling companion, Winston gets up to check it out - grabbing his pack just in case. Adia's in there, and there exists the remote possibility that this is an old-fashioned train robbery. The age for that kind of thing has come and gone, but some people always think that the old tricks are still the best.

He opens the compartment door in time to see someone sprint by in the narrow corridor - a thin Arab with a small briefcase (not to mention quite a pair of legs). Winston steps out to look after the running man, then glances back in the direction the other man came from ... seeing an attractive Indian woman (East Indian, so not a local) burst into the hall and, pausing, hurl a steak knife in his direction.

Winston reflexively tries to duck aside into his open compartment, but the knife flies past him - flipping end over end toward the fleeing Arab. The thin man bobs and weaves a bit, evading the flung knife (which just skitters down the corridor floor) and continuing to run for the next car.

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson stands on the roof of the train, legs splayed wide to brace against the wind and the train's rocking. "Let's keep moving back," he yells into the roaring wind to Janos and Locky.

Jameson slips the End from it's holster as the other two pass and takes the rear guard position with his pistols points towards the end of the train.

[Winston Holmes]

Winston leans backwards into the compartment to let the Indian woman pass in the hallway while making sure his pack is secure on his shoulders. Trouble is better than listening to the businessman snore, especially interesting trouble with an Arab and an Indian.

Once the woman moves past Winston slips out of the compartment, sliding the door closed behind him to protect the family, and follows the chase to see where it ends.

[Surya Lanadhra]

Radha picks up the steak-knife as she continues to run, cursing the Arab silently as she does her best to catch up to him.

[Dr. Mystery]

Pulling himself into the next car and running like mad trying to follow behind Dr. Kolani, John fades into the background as he enters the car, moving along as quickly and quietly as he can; the train must end somewhere.

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Once on top of the train, Janos slings his sword back around and draws the blade out. He gives Jameson and Locky a slightly insane grin and then begins moving at his best speed up the car.

[Andrew Murphy]

Jameson chuckles and shakes his head as Janos begins to move across the train top. He gestures to Locky, "After you, I'll only slow you down if I'm in front ..."

[Locky McKenzie]

Ever the polite boy, Locky says a quick "Thankyou Jameson", as he climbs to the top of the train car, as fast as he can.

[Alex Craft]

The chase continues, with all eight participants charging toward the rear of the train. John cuts ahead of Blaine as they pass into the next car, and he vanishes from sight as he nimbly dodges around the kink in the corridor that offsets it to the left side of the car.

Luqmani reaches the other end of the car, though Radha is gradually gaining on him - closing the distance by a fair measure before he disappears through the next door and back outside. Redoubling her speed, she continues to give chase, folllowed closely by Winston, as well as by John and Blaine.

Atop the car, the wind sings around Jameson as he covers the length of the train, gradually making his way along the length of the car after Locky and Janos. Locky shoots ahead, easily gaining a substantial lead on Janos. Reaching the other end of the car, he looks down just in time to see the door shutting behind Luqmani as the Arab disappears into the next car (which is almost identical to the one Locky is standing on right now).

Gathering himself, he leaps the distance to the top of the next car - clearing the gap and hitting the rooftop running. With luck, he'll be able to catch up with Luqmani by the next car. Radha passes from car to car just moments after he does, with the doors on the two cars clanging loudly as she slams through. The others aren't far behind - two leaping across the tops of the cars, and three rushing through the doors.

Locky runs as fast as he can, nearly sprinting down the length of the car. He is headed toward the back of the train, so the wind of the great vehicle's passing pushes at his back - buoying him up and thrusting him toward his goal even as it tries to toss him from his feet. He barely catches himself at the end of the car, teetering precariously for a moment as the wind tries to send him hurtling forward.

As he regains his footing, the door immediately below him is thrown open, disgorging Ayed al-Luqmani into the space between the cars. Locky hesitates for a moment, uncertain of what, exactly, to do, and that moment is enough for Luqmani to notice Locky's presence - catching sight of a shadow, or of a movement in his peripheral vision.

Acting with almost preternatural swiftness, Luqmani leaps to the side of the door and glances up, reflexively reaching into his suit jacket, where he must usually keep a weapon. He aborts the action quickly, though, so he must be going unarmed. Instead, he glances around quickly, then - fantastically, irrationally - abruptly turns and hurtles himself out from between the cars, tumbling out into thin air.

For a moment, Locky thinks Luqmani decided to jump rather than be captured (and granted, the fall probably wouldn't kill him ... though the miles of desert in every direction might). Then, something suddenly snatches Luqmani out of the air, and the Arab goes flying off toward the rear of the train - almost too fast to follow.

Too slowly to do anything, Locky realizes what happened. A dirt trail (now rapidly receding along with Luqmani) leads up to the tracks, terminating in a mail drop - a pole set into the ground with a hooked arm, suitable for hanging a mailbag from so that passing trains can snatch up the mail service without stopping.

There was no mail today, but Luqmani must have seen it approaching, and he lept out to catch ahold of the passing arm. His body describes a flat arc as the arm spins away from his impact - taking him swinging away from the train, then back. Letting go, he slaps against a car much further down the line, and Locky can just barely see him clutching desperately to its side as the train hurtles onward.

Below, Radha bursts out into the gap between the cars just in time to see Luqmani snatched sideways - hurtling along parallel to the train. He is gone before she can do anything, and she stops for a moment in frustration, turning to check those behind her. Instead of John or Blaine, she sees a completely unfamiliar man on her heels - a lithe, well-worn American carrying a large pack over his shoulder.

John and Blaine are coming up behind the man, and above Locky glances back to see Janos and Jameson gradually catching up to him.

[Winston Holmes]

Unaware of the full situation, Winston stops once he reaches the stationary Radha. "Pardon me, mem'sahib," he shouts over the clacking of the train, the Hindi word easily fitting into his English, "but I was wondering why you were chasing and throwing steak knives at an Arabic man in the middle of Texas."

[Surya Lanadhra]

"Don't ask me!" Radha yells in reply as she glares at the vanishing Luqmani. "I'm just chasing them because my fellow employees are!"

[Locky McKenzie]

Locky looks towards the quickly-vanishing Luqmani.

"Well gosh. That's an evening special, to be sure."

Locky calls back to Jameson and Janos, "Guys! He's pulled ahead! He's got a big head-start on us now!"

[Count Janos Rakozi]

Janos' laugh is carried away by the whipping wind, but he doesn't seem to care.

"Well, there is now only so little distant left for him to run," he says, making best of a bad situation.

"Come on!" he says as he runs back down the train.

[Andrew Murphy]

"Gents I'm all for apprehending that scoundrel but let's think this through. There's not much place he can go. I say we join up with the others and get a plan together, something more cohesive than what we have right now."

[Blaine]

Blaine slows down when he sees the rest of the group stopped. He puts together two and two a lot faster than he can run and realizes that Luqmani pulled a fast one.

"Dammit! Lemme guess, he used the mail trestle didn't he?" he says to the group as he approaches, puling off his hat so he can wipe his stubbly, sweaty brow. Sometimes it amazes people how such a palooka like Blaine can be so quick on the uptake. But then again he is a famous detective.