Mummy Game 013

[9/25/2013 8:39:19 PM] Kate: Luxor, 1922. Felix Cray wakes up in the morning by himself, though he can hear the noise of water coming from the bathroom where the Countess is washing up. Last night there was another murder, which seemed to be the third in an intended series of five, each corresponding to one of the five elements of a soul. [9/25/2013 8:44:38 PM] Felix: Felix gets up himself, and gets dressed again! [9/25/2013 8:45:39 PM] Kate: Easily done. He's got his pants on and not much else when Yelena comes out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white bathrobe. [9/25/2013 8:46:19 PM] Felix: How are you feeling? [9/25/2013 8:47:01 PM] Kate: Countess: Better. Much better, now that I know it was not me. [9/25/2013 8:49:24 PM] Kate: ((Ah, phone. dammit.)) [9/25/2013 8:51:23 PM] Felix: ((okay!)) [9/25/2013 9:10:40 PM] Kate: ((Back!)) [9/25/2013 9:13:02 PM] Felix: ((Woot!)) [9/25/2013 9:14:01 PM] Kate: She kisses him on the cheek. [9/25/2013 9:16:49 PM] Felix: Well, good. Because David is on the path to getting punched some more. [9/25/2013 9:18:38 PM] Kate: Countess: Oh? [9/25/2013 9:21:23 PM] Felix: He's a bit out of control. He pops off when anyone even mentions the word 'curse'. And he called my sister a twit. [9/25/2013 9:21:49 PM] Kate: Countess: And so you will punch him. [9/25/2013 9:22:21 PM] Felix: Well, she already punched him. [9/25/2013 9:23:04 PM] Kate: Countess: But you would like to punch him again. [9/25/2013 9:23:17 PM] Felix: If I have to. [9/25/2013 9:24:34 PM] Kate: Countess: Hmm. If you are punching him for your sister, who will you hit for me? [9/25/2013 9:26:34 PM] Felix: Whoever needs punching. Though I do suspect he'll calm down when we actually get ot the dig site and he has something to do. [9/25/2013 9:27:37 PM] Kate: ((Woah, what happened.)) [9/25/2013 9:27:46 PM] Felix: ((What happened?)) [9/25/2013 9:27:59 PM] Kate: ((... it went away. For a while my font in here was TINY.)) [9/25/2013 9:28:12 PM] Felix: ((Huh.)) [9/25/2013 9:28:22 PM] Kate: Countess: Apart from bursting in on us, you mean? [9/25/2013 9:28:39 PM | Edited 9:28:46 PM] Felix: Apart from that. [9/25/2013 9:30:20 PM] Kate: She hugs Felix. [9/25/2013 9:33:14 PM] Kate: Then she starts getting dressed. "Don't be late for breakfast on my account." [9/25/2013 9:33:59 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "All right.  I'll see you down there." [9/25/2013 9:35:53 PM] Kate: Countess: I am rather hungry. For once. [9/25/2013 9:37:38 PM] Felix: Felix smiles, and kisses her! Then he heads off. [9/25/2013 9:42:07 PM] Kate: In the lobby he finds Celestine talking to a tall, good-looking man in a neat, tidy uniform. He has a deep tan, dark eyes and dark hair, and also an eyepatch that's a near match to Felix's. Unlike Felix, though, he also has some barely-visible scarring on that side of his face, partly concealed by a carefully-groomed beard. [9/25/2013 9:42:18 PM] Kate: Roll a D10! [9/25/2013 9:42:29 PM] Felix: ((7!)) [9/25/2013 9:43:12 PM] Kate: Celestine looks nervous, and as Felix approaches, he hears her say, "There he is." [9/25/2013 9:43:36 PM] Felix: Felix walks over there. [9/25/2013 9:43:40 PM | Edited 9:43:49 PM] Felix: There who is? [9/25/2013 9:44:16 PM] Kate: Celestine: Why you, of course. [9/25/2013 9:44:27 PM] Kate: Celestine: This is Captain... what did you say your name was? [9/25/2013 9:45:26 PM] Kate: Uniform Guy: Captain Forrester. I was hoping to speak with you about last night, Mr. Cray. [9/25/2013 9:45:44 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "All right." [9/25/2013 9:48:16 PM] Kate: Forrester draws Felix aside. Though he *looks* fairly Egyptian, his accent is perfect Oxford English. It's also notable that he walks with a limp, leaning heavily on a silver-headed walking stick. [9/25/2013 9:52:04 PM] Kate: Forrester sits at a table in the hotel lobby, gesturing to the other side of the table. [9/25/2013 9:52:15 PM] Felix: Felix takes a seat. [9/25/2013 9:55:03 PM] Kate: He leans the cat-headed stick against the table as Felix does. [9/25/2013 9:55:17 PM] Kate: Forrester: Tell me about last night. [9/25/2013 9:58:08 PM] Felix: ((My dad has an interview tomorrow.)) [9/25/2013 9:58:28 PM] Kate: ((Yay!!!)) [9/25/2013 9:59:11 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "We were walking back to the hotel from the cafe." (What's the name of the place with all the carvings? [9/25/2013 10:00:41 PM] Kate: Karnak. [9/25/2013 10:01:43 PM] Felix: ((Where we found the body?)) [9/25/2013 10:03:50 PM] Kate: ((Yep!)) [9/25/2013 10:04:12 PM] Kate: The Karnak Temple Complex, and specifically, the Precinct of Amun-Re. [9/25/2013 10:05:58 PM] Felix: We went through the Karnak Complex.  I heard whimpering, and found the woman.  She had been stabbed with a sharp piece of rock. [9/25/2013 10:07:40 PM] Kate: Forrester: A woman. She was whimpering, and you found her, only to find she had been stabbed. [9/25/2013 10:08:03 PM] Felix: Yes. [9/25/2013 10:09:07 PM | Edited 10:09:57 PM] Kate: Forrester: So the murder at the hotel was the second murder you saw last night. [9/25/2013 10:09:32 PM] Felix: Yes. [9/25/2013 10:09:51 PM] Kate: Forrester: You did not go to the police about the first one. [9/25/2013 10:12:21 PM] Felix: No. We should have, I know. [9/25/2013 10:12:38 PM] Kate: Forrester takes a deep breath and leans back in his chair. [9/25/2013 10:12:55 PM] Kate: Forrester: ... Mr. Cray. We have not found a body at Karnak. [9/25/2013 10:13:22 PM] Felix: Felix blinks. "She was there.  Lying in a puddle of her own blood." [9/25/2013 10:14:58 PM] Kate: Forrester: This is the first I've heard of it. I came to investigate the killing of the waiter. [9/25/2013 10:16:17 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "I know even less about that one.  One of the others of my expedition burst into the room, told me there was a killing.  I went downstairs to check it out, and found the poor fella there." [9/25/2013 10:17:44 PM] Kate: Forrester: I understand you are in charge of security for the archaeological expedition. [9/25/2013 10:17:57 PM] Felix: Yes. [9/25/2013 10:20:02 PM] Kate: Forrester: Which is generally connected with the security of antiquities, not murder. One would hardly expect that. [9/25/2013 10:21:22 PM] Felix: Yes. I thought I was here to keep an eye on pottery shards and prevent people from wandering into our dig. [9/25/2013 10:22:33 PM] Kate: Forrester: I would tend to agree with that. One person would hardly be enough at this rate. Two in one evening. [9/25/2013 10:23:39 PM] Felix: Felix sighs. "... I thought this would be an easy job.  Something not terribly taxing, you know?" [9/25/2013 10:25:42 PM] Kate: Forrester: Ha. [9/25/2013 10:25:57 PM] Kate: Forrester: There's something you're not telling me. What is it? [9/25/2013 10:27:09 PM] Felix: Both bodies were killed in the same way, stabbedi n the chest. Both of them had something stuffed into their mouths, parchment with Egyptian symbols written on em. [9/25/2013 10:27:56 PM] Kate: Forrester: What symbols? [9/25/2013 10:28:50 PM] Felix: Felix digs the parchments up from his pockets. [9/25/2013 10:29:43 PM | Edited 10:31:26 PM] Kate: Forrester looks at them. "... in their mouths, Mr. Cray?" [9/25/2013 10:30:31 PM] Felix: ((He only would have given him the two newer ones, the first one is stowed.)) [9/25/2013 10:30:44 PM] Felix: ((Not still stuffed in his pocket.)) [9/25/2013 10:32:48 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "Yes.  The woman from last night, I noticed something in her mouth.  Then when I saw the man this morning, I checked." [9/25/2013 10:33:20 PM] Kate: Forrester: You will have to forgive me, my education has not extended so far into the past. What does it mean? [9/25/2013 10:37:24 PM] Felix: I dno't know. I'm not a scholar. I've read some books since I've been on this trip... I think this one means wind? Or air, maybe. [9/25/2013 10:39:00 PM] Kate: Forrester: Perhaps something to ask the archaeologists later. Who was with you when you found the first body, Mr. Cray? [9/25/2013 10:40:23 PM] Felix: My sister. The Countess had come out with us, too, but I don't recall if she was with us when we actually found the body. It's kind of a blur. [9/25/2013 10:40:38 PM] Kate: Forrester: A blur? [9/25/2013 10:41:10 PM] Felix: We found a dead body. It was a bit of a shock after an evening that had been fairly restful and leisurely. [9/25/2013 10:42:51 PM] Kate: Forrester: Had any of you been drinking? [9/25/2013 10:43:09 PM] Felix: ((I don't remember if Yelena or Cel were drinking.)) [9/25/2013 10:45:13 PM] Kate: ((Celestine was pretty hammered. Yelena, I am not sure...)) [9/25/2013 10:45:48 PM] Kate: ((She drank a little, but not much.)) [9/25/2013 10:47:06 PM] Felix: I don't drink. The girls had been, though. [9/25/2013 10:47:29 PM] Kate: Forrester: And yet it was a blur. You were in the war, yes? [9/25/2013 10:47:41 PM] Felix: Yes. [9/25/2013 10:48:19 PM] Kate: Forrester: So you do not go to pieces easily, nor see things that are not there. [9/25/2013 10:50:21 PM] Felix: I don't recall if Yelena was tehre when Celestine and I found the body, or if she had wandered off. That's all. My attention was on the body. [9/25/2013 10:50:58 PM] Felix: She might have been on my blind side, I don't know. [9/25/2013 10:52:23 PM] Kate: Forrester: That is a nuisance, isn't it? One's field of vision is smaller. Of course, one could argue we are more attentive to what is in it for that reason. [9/25/2013 10:53:32 PM] Felix: And my attention was on the corpse, and the threat of a killer around. So we got out of there and back to the hotel. [9/25/2013 10:53:59 PM] Kate: Forrester: And the second murder was later that night. [9/25/2013 10:54:54 PM] Felix: Yes. [9/25/2013 10:58:46 PM] Kate: Forrester: And you, Miss Cray, and Lady Yusupov were in the building at that time. [9/25/2013 11:00:15 PM] Felix: Yes. You think someone's following us? It's the only thing that makes sense to me. [9/25/2013 11:03:04 PM] Kate: Forrester: Really? Your sister seemed to believe you had done it. [9/25/2013 11:05:51 PM] Felix: Felix winces. "Really?" [9/25/2013 11:06:36 PM] Kate: Forrester: She covered it up quite well, for the most part, but I think she has relied on her looks too much to become a liar without flaw. [9/25/2013 11:07:33 PM] Felix: For the record, I don't believe she did it. And I can account for the Countess' whereabouts last night once we got back to the hotel. And she can account for mine. [9/25/2013 11:08:53 PM] Kate: Forrester: You would hardly be the first to create an alibi for a lover--or force a lover to create one for you. [9/25/2013 11:09:34 PM] Felix: Felix sighs. "Well, then.  What are you going to do?" [9/25/2013 11:10:31 PM | Edited 11:14:38 PM] Kate: Forrester: Do? [9/25/2013 11:10:48 PM] Kate: He raises one and a half eyebrows; the one over the eyepatch is only half present. [9/25/2013 11:11:10 PM] Felix: Are you going to arrest me? [9/25/2013 11:12:39 PM] Kate: He leans forward in his chair, tilting his head on one side and frowning. "Should I, Mr. Cray?" [9/25/2013 11:12:54 PM] Felix: I didn't do it. I haven't killed anyone since the war. [9/25/2013 11:14:32 PM] Kate: Forrester: That isn't what I asked, Mr. Cray. [9/25/2013 11:15:09 PM] Felix: Well, I didn't kill anyone. So no, you shouldn't arrest me. That's just my own opinion. [9/25/2013 11:15:31 PM] Kate: Forrester: In your opinion, Mr. Cray, who did it? [9/25/2013 11:16:16 PM] Felix: I really don't know. Someone who knows about our expedition and wants to stop it, maybe. [9/25/2013 11:16:39 PM] Kate: Forrester: And why would anyone wish to do that? [9/25/2013 11:20:31 PM] Felix: I have no idea. [9/25/2013 11:21:18 PM] Kate: Forrester: Not, perhaps, the best hypothesis, then. You can do better, Mr. Cray. [9/25/2013 11:21:52 PM] Felix: I was hired to guard potsherds, Forrester. Not solve a murder. I would think that's your job. [9/25/2013 11:23:25 PM] Kate: Forrester: You're only drawing attention to yourself by being evasive. [9/25/2013 11:26:26 PM] Felix: I can't think of anyone on this expedition that would do anything like this. You're not going to intimidate me into accidentally confessing to the brutal murder of two people I've never met, either. [9/25/2013 11:27:04 PM] Kate: Forrester: Did you kill them? [9/25/2013 11:27:10 PM] Felix: No. [9/25/2013 11:27:30 PM] Kate: Forrester: Then please, do not confess. It would only muddy the waters further. [9/25/2013 11:29:29 PM] Felix: Are we done? Or are you going to keep me here while you fish? [9/25/2013 11:30:14 PM] Kate: Forrester smiles politely. "It is my job, as you have said. No, you may go; I will, however, be accompanying you to your excavation site." [9/25/2013 11:30:50 PM] Felix: The job is yours. I'll be glad to go home at this point. [9/25/2013 11:31:50 PM] Kate: Forrester: I would not dare to replace you, Mr. Cray. I simply wish to observe. [9/25/2013 11:33:46 PM] Felix: Well, lovely. I'll let you take that up with the Countess, then. [9/25/2013 11:34:56 PM] Felix: Felix stands up. "I'm off to breakfast.  See you around, I suppose." [9/25/2013 11:35:40 PM] Kate: Forrester stands up, awkwardly, and nods politely. "Indeed. Good morning." [9/25/2013 11:35:53 PM] Kate: He picks up his walking stick and heads off. [9/25/2013 11:36:04 PM] Felix: Felix heads off to the dining room. [9/25/2013 11:36:34 PM] Kate: Celestine is waiting for Felix by the door to the dining room. "What did he say to you? Isn't he terrifying? I couldn't decide which I wanted more, to hit him in the face or run away." [9/25/2013 11:37:39 PM] Felix: Felix slows down to talk to her but keeps walking. "He's coming with.  He thinks I did it because he believes that my sister thinks I did it." [9/25/2013 11:38:38 PM] Kate: Celestine: I do *not*! [9/25/2013 11:39:21 PM] Kate: Celestine: ... well, I wasn't sure after the second one, but after the third one of course I knew it wasn't you. [9/25/2013 11:40:29 PM] Felix: It's nice to know that all my sister needs to know that I didn't commit a brutal murder is incontravertible proof. [9/25/2013 11:41:02 PM] Kate: Celestine: Felix, you went to war, that *can* change people, you know. Good people. [9/25/2013 11:41:48 PM] Felix: Anyway, he's coming with the expedition now and is going to be watching me like a hawk. I expect to be arrested shortly. [9/25/2013 11:41:57 PM] Felix: As soon as he finds out about Ali. [9/25/2013 11:42:08 PM] Kate: Celestine: Maybe we should tell him. [9/25/2013 11:43:09 PM] Kate: Celestine: He's handsome, isn't he? Like one of those cliffs divers are always killing themselves on. [9/25/2013 11:45:37 PM] Felix: Then he'll ask why I didn't tell him. And you are *not* allowed to like him. Especially if he arrests me. [9/25/2013 11:46:04 PM] Kate: Celestine: Oh, I'm not *allowed*, am I? [9/25/2013 11:46:58 PM] Felix: Felix frowns. "Please.  Don't like the guy that thinks I murdered people." [9/25/2013 11:47:47 PM] Kate: Celestine: Why do you think he thinks you did it? I think he thinks I did it. [9/25/2013 11:48:04 PM] Kate: Celestine: He just *stares* at you, and your heart just shrivels up and dies. [9/25/2013 11:51:40 PM] Felix: Maybe the effect is lost on me with my one eye. I've known cops like him before. They start with the conclusion and work backwards. [9/25/2013 11:52:04 PM] Kate: Celestine: It must be very useful at poker games. [9/25/2013 11:52:31 PM] Kate: Celestine slides into a seat at a table, already all laid out with silverware and dishes. [9/25/2013 11:52:49 PM] Kate: Celestine: He practically said outright that I did it. Without saying it at all. [9/25/2013 11:52:51 PM] Felix: Felix sits down. [9/25/2013 11:56:06 PM] Kate: Celestine: I think he's terrifying. You absolutely must out-terrify him, Felix. I can't, I'm much too short. [9/25/2013 11:58:56 PM] Kate: A waiter comes and pours out a cup of coffee for Celestine, and offers Felix some as well. [9/25/2013 11:59:10 PM] Felix: Felix nods. "Please." [12:00:04 AM] Kate: He pours Felix some coffee, and David flings himself into a seat across from Felix--next to Celestine. His nose is still puffy. [12:03:50 AM] Kate: David: Good *morning.* [12:04:27 AM] Kate: Celestine, cheerfully: Good morning to you too. You sound a little bit stuffed up. [12:04:29 AM] Felix: What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound you not apologizing to my sister for being a lout. [12:04:37 AM] Kate: David *glares* at both of them. [12:04:59 AM] Kate: Celestine: I could punch him in the face again. [12:05:34 AM] Kate: David: Oh how brave, when you know damned well I can't hit back. Who the hell is that arse in the monkeysuit over there? [12:05:40 AM] Kate: He gestures to Forrester. [12:06:18 AM] Felix: He's a cop. He's looking for a reason to arrest me. He's saying he's going to follow us on our expedition. [12:06:39 AM] Kate: Celestine: No, he's looking for a reason to arrest *me.* [12:07:04 AM] Kate: David: As long as he doesn't arrest anyone important. [12:08:03 AM] Felix: Hilarious. [12:08:31 AM] Kate: David: I'll get rid of him. [12:08:41 AM] Kate: David gets up and heads over to Forrester. [12:08:59 AM] Kate: Celestine: That's not going to work. [12:10:17 AM] Felix: No. [12:10:29 AM] Kate: David starts talking to Forrester, and Forrester answers back. [12:11:23 AM] Kate: David gets more and more agitated and probably louder, though you can't really hear him from the other side of the room, and finally David shakes his fist in Forrester's face. The policeman looks unimpressed, and David stomps back to the table. [12:11:30 AM] Kate: David: That didn't work. Damn the man! [12:13:54 AM] Felix: No. And the first body that shows up during the expedition, there goes the expedition, you realize. [12:15:15 AM] Kate: David: I don't want any more damn bodies. [12:15:22 AM] Kate: David: I never wanted *any* damn bodies in the first place! [12:15:30 AM] Kate: Celestine: Apart from mummies. [12:15:40 AM] Kate: David: Mummies aren't... dammit, you know what I mean! [12:16:04 AM] Felix: No one said you did. But whoever is doing this is going out of their way to leave the bodies in our wake. [12:17:22 AM] Kate: David: What do we do, then? [12:17:27 AM] Kate: David: And who *is* doing this? [12:17:46 AM] Felix: Damned if I know. [12:20:15 AM] Kate: David frowns, and a waiter pours him some coffee. He tastes it and makes a face. "Coffee. Why did you ask about dreams?" [12:20:41 AM] Felix: Like I said. i've been having very vivid dreams. [12:21:12 AM] Kate: David: And? [12:21:31 AM] Felix: .... see this rubbing? [12:21:54 AM] Kate: David nods. "Karnak?" [12:26:41 AM] Felix: Felix nods. [12:26:47 AM] Felix: Felix then reads it. [12:27:25 AM] Kate: David: ... not bad. I didn't realize you'd studied hieroglyphics. [12:28:25 AM] Felix: I didn't. [12:28:33 AM] Kate: David: ... pardon? [12:29:52 AM] Felix: I've never stuided hieroglyphics. [12:31:06 AM] Kate: David: So what, you just guessed? [12:31:41 AM] Felix: No, I just know. [12:33:11 AM] Kate: David: That's preposterous. [12:33:50 AM] Felix: I agree. [12:35:49 AM] Kate: David: What's that got to do with dreams? [12:36:23 AM] Felix: I'm an egyptian prince named Ramses in these dreams. And after them, I can read hieroglyphs. I can probably write them, too. [12:40:12 AM] Kate: David: ... go ahead, try it. [12:40:15 AM] Kate: He hands Felix a pen. [12:42:01 AM] Felix: Felix tries to write out something! First line of a poem, some kind of imagery that would lend itself to hieroglyhpics. [12:42:18 AM] Kate: He can write anything he wants! [12:42:38 AM] Felix: He writes it! [12:43:09 AM] Kate: What does he write? [12:43:26 AM] Felix: Just something with a lot of imagery. [12:46:54 AM] Felix: 'Under the stars beyond our stars where the new-forged meteors glow'. [12:48:43 AM] Kate: David: ... all right, you can write hieroglyphs, clearly. [12:49:48 AM] Felix: And yet I couldn't a week ago. [12:50:35 AM] Felix: Felix writes Celestine's name! Or the best he can. [12:51:31 AM] Kate: David: Celestine. Or about as close to it as you can get. [12:51:41 AM] Kate: Celestine: That's my name? ... that's really pretty. [12:53:48 AM] Kate: David: And you claim  you just woke up one day knowing how to write them. [12:55:41 AM] Felix: Pretty much.

[12:35:36 AM] Kate: David: That's impossible. Nobody just wakes up knowing how to write hieroglyphs. [12:35:57 AM] Felix: And yet I did. [12:36:57 AM] Kate: David: No, you didn't. [12:37:11 AM] Kate: David: Probably somebody taught you them when you were a child, and you forgot. [12:38:58 AM] Felix: ... right. Well, anyway. [12:39:06 AM] Kate: David: Anyway what? [12:39:21 AM] Kate: Paul turns up, and talks to Captain Forrester a bit. [12:41:38 AM] Kate: Then he heads for the breakfast table and sits down on Felix's side of the table, where he can see Celestine. [12:41:51 AM] Felix: Did you like our new cop? [12:42:20 AM] Kate: Paul: Our new cop? [12:42:33 AM] Kate: Celestine: He's terrifying, isn't he? And handsome. [12:42:48 AM] Kate: David: He's got scars and a damned eyepatch! [12:43:59 AM] Felix: Felix clears his throat. [12:44:21 AM] Kate: David: What, do you think you're *especially* pretty? [12:44:35 AM] Felix: Don't you? [12:45:11 AM] Felix: He told me he's going to be coming with the expedition to 'observe'. He's fishing. [12:45:20 AM] Kate: Paul: *What?* [12:45:30 AM] Kate: David: You're not my type, Cray. [12:45:48 AM] Kate: Celestine: I have better legs anyway. [12:45:59 AM] Kate: The Countess turns up and takes her turn talking to Forrester. [12:48:15 AM] Felix: Yeah. I don't expect you'll have to put up with me much longer, David. [12:49:14 AM] Kate: ((Ah, the Mentalist. +1 slap. Hee!)) [12:49:24 AM] Kate: David: What? [12:49:37 AM] Kate: Paul: I think he thought I did it. [12:50:30 AM] Felix: Like I said, he's fishing. As soon has he finds out about Ali.. [12:51:08 AM] Kate: Paul: ... we should tell him about Ali. [12:52:49 AM] Felix: And when he asks about why we covered it up? [12:53:26 AM] Kate: Paul: ... we could tell the truth. [12:53:37 AM] Kate: David: It's my expedition, I'll take responsibility. [12:53:43 AM] Kate: Paul: We all made the decision, David. [12:55:54 AM] Felix: We did. We're not leaving anyone to rot on this one. [12:56:51 AM] Kate: David: I'd rather be in jail and have the expedition go forward than have us all in jail and end it. [12:58:08 AM] Kate: Celestine: It can't be *that* important. I mean, it's all been there for thousands of years. [12:58:17 AM] Kate: Paul: We don't have the resources-- [12:58:23 AM] Kate: David: Paul, shut up. [12:58:48 AM] Felix: Felix looks at Paul. "No, keep talking.  What are you going to say?" [12:59:26 AM] Kate: Paul looks at David, who glowers. [12:59:59 AM] Kate: Captain Forrester and the Countess look like they're chatting amiably. [1:00:55 AM] Felix: If anyone is taking the fall for Ali, it's me. I'm fairly superfluous to the expedition. [1:02:30 AM] Kate: Celestine: Not to me. [1:02:47 AM] Kate: Paul: ... security would seem to be an issue here. [1:03:16 AM] Felix: Well, you'll have the cop there along to keep an eye on things. [1:03:47 AM | Edited 1:03:52 AM] Kate: Celestine: One person isn't enough. [1:03:55 AM] Felix: He's even missing an eye. You won't even notice I"m gone. [1:04:06 AM] Kate: David: The Countess would notice. [1:05:33 AM] Felix: She'd get over it.   ((He probably doesn't even need the eyepatch!  Stealin my eyepatch thunder.)) [1:05:44 AM] Kate: ((Hee!)) [1:06:11 AM] Kate: Celestine: What on earth makes you say that? [1:07:32 AM] Felix: Well, it's not like I'd be dead.  Just... in an egyptian prison. [1:08:39 AM] Kate: Celestine: And you seriously think she'd be just fine with that? [1:11:21 AM] Felix: ... my point is that the expedition doesn't really need me.  I'm not saying I want to do this. [1:11:53 AM] Kate: Celestine: ... well, I need you. [1:12:40 AM] Kate: David: Enough. I'm going to take care of this. [1:13:00 AM] Kate: He starts standing up, and Paul tugs him back down. "No, I will, David." [1:13:51 AM] Felix: Both of you calm down.  Let Yelena do her thing.  Maybe she can smooth things over a bit. [1:15:26 AM] Kate: Paul stands. "I'm perfectly calm. And, if I'm not arrested, I'll be right back." [1:16:27 AM] Kate: Paul walks over to the Countess and the Captain! [1:18:42 AM] Felix: Felix watches! [1:18:51 AM] Kate: Celestine: ... Felix... [1:19:07 AM] Kate: David: Don't be a ninny, nothing's going to happen to him. [1:22:22 AM] Kate: Celestine glowers. "Do you *want* to get the feeling back in your nose? Because I can make sure that doesn't happen." [1:22:35 AM] Kate: David: Because you, as a woman, are allowed to hit me with total impunity, yes. [1:23:55 AM] Kate: Forrester looks pretty serious. [1:24:06 AM] Felix: Felix watches! [1:25:11 AM] Kate: Then Forrester, the Countess and Paul sit at the table with the rest of you! [1:25:24 AM] Kate: Forrester: So. [1:27:04 AM] Felix: So? [1:27:35 AM] Kate: Forrester: So, there were not two murders but three. [1:28:47 AM] Felix: Yes. [1:30:11 AM] Kate: The waiter comes and everybody orders breakfast. [1:30:53 AM] Kate: As he leaves, Forrester sips his coffee. "People conceal such things more often than you might expect." [1:31:55 AM] Felix: I imagine people are constantly concealing things. [1:33:15 AM] Kate: Forrester: People are. However, this makes three murders, which is rather impressive. Are you not concerned that one of you could be a victim? [1:33:25 AM] Kate: Countess: But that is why you are here, Captain. [1:33:47 AM] Kate: Forrester: The first one, did he too have the parchment in his mouth? [1:34:49 AM] Felix: Yes. [1:35:31 AM] Kate: Forrester: And what did it say? [1:35:55 AM] Felix: We translated it to 'soul'. [1:36:45 AM] Kate: Forrester: And the others? [1:37:29 AM] Felix: ((Name and what was the other one?)) [1:39:52 AM] Kate: Shadow. [1:40:13 AM] Felix: 'Name' and 'Shadow', I think. [1:40:48 AM] Kate: Forrester: ... interesting. [1:40:54 AM] Kate: Forrester: Who do you think did it? [1:40:58 AM] Kate: No one answers. [1:41:58 AM] Felix: I don't know. I think someone is shadowing our expedition. [1:45:41 AM] Kate: Celestine: I'm sure it's not one of us. [1:45:52 AM] Kate: Countess: Perhaps I ought to hire additional security. [1:48:18 AM] Felix: It couldn't hurt. [1:48:45 AM] Kate: Forrester: It may muddy the waters further. For example, if someone is shadowing the expedition, he might join it as security. [1:50:51 AM] Felix: It might, it might not. But someone is killing people and leaving them for us to find. [1:51:26 AM] Kate: Forrester: Do you have any idea about the meaning of the words in their mouths? [1:54:24 AM] Felix: No. Maybe it's an attempt to drape the killings in supernatural meaning, to scare folks. I don't know. [1:54:55 AM] Kate: Paul: The Egyptians believed a person's soul had five parts. [1:56:20 AM] Kate: Forrester: So this will be five murders, yes? [1:57:06 AM] Felix: It looks that way. [1:57:06 AM] Kate: ((Ahh, more Jane-beatings.)) [1:59:24 AM] Kate: Forrester: ... unfortunate. Perhaps we might prevent a few. [2:00:07 AM] Kate: The breakfast passes quickly, and then everybody goes back to their rooms to pack! [2:00:19 AM] Felix: Indeeeeeeeeed. [2:01:20 AM] Kate: Or not pack, as the case may be... the Countess takes advantage of the opportunity to hug Felix. [2:01:51 AM] Felix: My sister says the cop is handsome. [2:02:46 AM] Kate: Countess: Does she? Paul Driscoll has a rival, hm? [2:03:24 AM] Felix: I don't think so. She's also kind of scared of him. [2:05:29 AM] Kate: Countess: Not one to be attracted in intimidation? [2:05:48 AM] Felix: You know, I'm not sure. [2:07:00 AM] Kate: Countess: He seems intelligent. Dangerous. [2:07:59 AM] Felix: I'm worried. *I* still think there's something supernatural compelling someone to kill. The cop won't see things that way. [2:08:11 AM] Kate: Countess: We could simply tell him. [2:08:38 AM] Kate: The Countess snuggles into Felix a bit. [2:09:20 AM] Felix: He won't believe it. [2:10:12 AM] Kate: Countess: No. But we would not have to keep a secret. [2:10:37 AM] Felix: He'll be far more likely to think we're batty and that we killed those people. [2:10:53 AM] Kate: Countess: Felix... [2:11:16 AM] Kate: She hesitates, looking up at him with big blue-grey eyes. [2:12:13 AM] Felix: What's wrong? [2:13:28 AM] Kate: Countess: He seems familiar to me. [2:13:54 AM] Felix: The cop? [2:14:32 AM] Kate: Countess: Yes. [2:14:38 AM] Felix: From where? [2:14:48 AM] Kate: Countess: I don't know. I've never seen him before. [2:15:59 AM] Felix: Felix frowns. [2:17:12 AM] Kate: Countess: The stick. Something about the stick. [2:17:27 AM] Felix: With the cat head? [2:17:59 AM] Kate: Countess: Yes. [2:18:27 AM] Kate: Countess: I am certain I would remember if I had seen it before. Or if I had seen him--I do not know so many men with eyepatches. [2:19:57 AM] Felix: Two? [2:20:08 AM] Kate: Countess: Two now, yes. [2:20:21 AM] Kate: Countess: I prefer you. [2:20:58 AM] Felix: Well, good, I'd hate to think you were going to trade up to a more dashing model. HE *is* taller than me, after all. [2:22:13 AM] Kate: Countess: That would only make him harder to reach. [2:22:20 AM] Kate: She kisses him. [2:22:36 AM] Felix: He kisses her back! [2:25:32 AM] Kate: Countess: ... and you are very easy to reach. [2:30:03 AM] Felix: Felix grins. "See, I've always thought that was thoughtfully convenient of me." [2:30:42 AM] Kate: Countess: I am in complete agreement. [2:31:45 AM] Kate: Countess: The question remains how I can be thoughtful to you. [2:31:53 AM] Felix: Hmm? [2:33:12 AM] Kate: Countess: What do you want out of life, Felix? [2:33:59 AM] Felix: Hmmm. Good question. [2:35:18 AM] Kate: Countess: I would like you to be happy. [2:37:09 AM | Edited 2:38:33 AM] Felix: Well, who wouldn't want to be happy? I like writing my poetry. I like seeing things I haven't seen. [2:38:00 AM] Kate: ((Writing!)) [2:38:23 AM] Felix: ((Oh, right. Blergh.)) [2:38:28 AM] Kate: Countess: To travel? [2:38:46 AM] Felix: Yeah. [2:39:55 AM] Kate: Countess: Have you considered a plane? [2:40:25 AM] Felix: I never learned how to fly. I understand depth perception is important in that regard. [2:41:40 AM] Kate: Countess: I feel your sister would make an excellent flier. [2:42:26 AM] Felix: Most likely. [2:44:14 AM] Kate: Countess: ... or I could. [2:46:06 AM] Felix: Have you ever flown? [2:46:20 AM] Kate: Countess: Only as a passenger. [2:51:57 AM] Felix: You could fly, I'm sure. [2:52:13 AM] Kate: Countess: Would you go with me? [2:54:30 AM] Felix: Of course. Where would we go? [2:54:50 AM] Kate: She smiles. "Anywhere we want." [2:55:02 AM] Kate: She kisses him again; definitely more like Taia this time.