Flailing in the Hallway

Continuation of this thread. Cue Jimmy bounding down the passage.

Jimmy slams into the wall of the corridor, unable to regain his balance after tripping over the luggage. But as the gas effects him he continues to careen back and forth down the passage. "I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I'M WITH SCOTLAND YARD. THIS WILL NOT STAND!"

Suddenly Jimmy isn't standing either, and he gets a really good look at the train's flooring.

Hanging on to the doorway, Dot gasps when she sees Jimmy fall. She glances around furtively (and woozily), and in the absence of any immediate danger crawls towards him to shake him by the shoulder.

"Detective!"

Jimmy groans and climbs to his feet. "I'll be alright Dot, don't worry about me." He flashes a grin at her. "I saw someone, they went that way." He points down the corridor as he takes a few deep breaths of clean air. "We have to go after them!"

He reaches out for Dot's hand and then starts rushing down the corridor, his other hand outstretched to the wall for balance.

You run down the hall, following the figure. You pass Compartments C and D towards the dining car. (Compartment A is the other direction.)

(Ooc: Do you two want me to roll anything else besides athletics checks for chasing the figure down?)

Unfortunately, Dot can't quite keep up, half from wooziness, half from trepidation--she did flinch a little when he grabbed her hand. She trips on her otherwise sensible heels, falling to her knees with a squeal.

"Detective, you should go on--no, don't go on, what if he has a gun?" she stammers frantically, under the influence of a few too many westerns. She keeps eying the end of the hallway as if something's about to jump out at them.

((Mi dispace, she crit failed. orz))

When Jimmy feels the pull on his hand from her falling he stops and kneels in front of her. He puts on his best speaking-to-a-traumatized-civilian voice, which is not as good as it could be given the circumstances.

"It's alright Dot, listen, one doesn't get to be detective if they're not careful around people who might have guns, but they also don't get to be a detective by running in the opposite direction either. You're not a detective though so you can choose. We can go slower so you can stay with me, or you can look for help in the other compartments while I chase after them."

He's scattered and his words are rushed from a combination of the gas and the adrenaline.

((rolled resolve + comp))


Dot hesitates, still crouched on her knees. There is very clearly no place she would less like to go to than the end of the corridor, but it seems too cowardly to let him go all alone while she sits there and whimpers. Finally she nods, pulling herself up.

"I'll be right behind you--don't let me slow you down, though. I'll keep a lookout."

Jimmy gives her a smile which he hopes is encouraging. "Just keep going, and I'll be there when you get to the end."

He stands and begins running down the corridor again, hoping the brief conversation didn't delay him so much that he missed his chance at catching the mysterious figure.

You both continue hurrying down the passage. Dot lags behind, still recovering from the gas, while Jimmy speeds along. However, try as you might, the figure is still a bit out of your reach.

Jimmy shouts after the person. "I am with Scotland Yard, If you stop now I will testify about your compliance in court." It wasn't the best offer, but he hoped it would work anyway.

The figure stops briefly, though doesn't turn around. You still can't see their face though.

Jimmy is hopeful and he continues to talk to the figure, hoping to gain some ground while they slow.

"Please. Things would only get worse if you continue to run. I know everyone has reasons for the things they do. I want to help."

He thinks that sometimes the best help people can get is a jail cell but that opinion would probably not help right now.

A lanky man in a haphazardly thrown-on tweed trench coat ducks his head out out of one of the posher compartments, catching the end of Boone's plea. He starts with his revolver simply ready in his hand, but suddenly he's got it aimed rigidly at a space between the stopped figure and the far wall.

"I suggest you both do as the man says."


Standing a few paces behind, Dot gasps at the sight of the revolver and darts halfway back into a nearby empty compartment. Oddly, though, she is starting to feel calmer now--her eyes are no longer playing tricks on her.

Jimmy takes a step back when the gun comes into play and looks at the new man's hand to see if his finger is on or beside the trigger. A man who just happens to own a gun would have it on the trigger, a trained military man or marksman would have it beside.

When the armed man says 'both' he wonders if he means Dot, or someone Jimmy can't see.

A ghost?

Now that Hastings has drawn attention to it, it becomes obvious that there was a second figure lurking along the walls of the train hallway. The figure, which you now see is hooded, stops for a second and stares, and, then, starts to run toward their companion. Their companion continues towards the dining car.

You all notice that the train is beginning to slow down.

Jimmy grits his teeth and resumes chasing the mysterious person, trusting the armed man to be able to handle himself.

He calls over his shoulder, "Stay back Dot!"

Hastings utters a (mild) curse when the robbers start to run, hurrying after Boone.

"Stop or I will shoot!" he calls out, hoping he sounds sufficiently convincing. Does he sound like a soldier, or a flustered vacationer? He feels as though he's wavering between the two, now that he's out of the sleeping gas and his "trench-vision" is dwindling. Perhaps he should let the Scotland Yard man deal with it... But then, if he's only a bobby, he won't have a gun on him.


Dot squeaks and doesn't need to be told twice before ducking back into her compartment, just peering around the edge. She can't help but glance nervously at the upper class compartment the man with the gun just burst from--is there someone still inside?

"H-hello?"

It takes a moment--the gas seems to be surprisingly strong stuff--before Stacey pokes his head out of his compartment. He blinks at Dot before his thoughts catch up and he realizes the thief went in the other direction, so he turns to see where Hastings and Boone are running.

He glances back at Dot and says, "Hello! Terribly sorry, seems I have some actual real-life heroics to attend to. Back in a jiffy!" He winks and darts out of the department, brandishing a cane with a heavy-looking handle. He wavers a bit as he runs, obviously impaired by the gas, but does his best to catch up with the others.

Jimmy keeps to one side of the corridor as best as he can, not wanting to get in the armed man's sights if he decides to shoot. He grits his teeth trying to push himself faster after the mysterious figures, not wanting to lose them in the hustle and bustle of people departing the train.

The figure that Hastings has threatened to shoot runs past Jimmy and toward their companion. Hastings manages to stay right behind them, and Stacey isn't far behind him, while Jimmy, trying to stay out of the line of fire, trips again. That pesky gas must still be affecting him. (OOC: Cayden, take a bashing)

Dot follows along behind.

Our heroes manage to follow the two figures down the corridor, finally emerging in the dining car.

Thread continues here.